Where do I go from here
by Shatteredshadowflame
Summary: This is my version of how Dawn came to Unova, within a Pearlshipping context. Also featuring a personal version of the Pokemon World Cup.
1. Dawn's first POV

_A confused and disheartened Dawn comes to a startling realization about a particular boy after a surprise meeting with a mysterious stranger in Hoenn..._

Dawn sighed as she stared down out across the landscape at the lightening horizon. The log she sat on creaked slightly, the wood cool beneath her bare thighs. She brushed her blue hair out of her sapphire eyes, and sighed again.

A small blue penguin, slightly higher than her pink boots, walked up to her and looked up at her sad face. "Piplup?" (Dawn?)

She looked down and smiled at her partner. "Hey Piplup. You okay?"

Piplup nodded confidently. "Lup. Pip, piplup?" (I'm just fine. Are you okay Dawn?)

Dawn sighed again as she turned her gaze back to the fields stretching out beneath her gaze. "I don't know Piplup. I just..."

Piplup stared up at her in concern, then climbed up next to her on the log. "Pip, piplup pip lup lup." (You've been thinking about Ash again, haven't you.)

Dawn merely sighed. Truth was, she didn't know what was wrong with her. Ever since she had parted ways with her two companions, she had been out of sorts. She hadn't been able to concentrate on contests, her thoughts were almost constantly scattered, and she hadn't been taking as good a care of herself as she used to.

Oh, she still kept herself clean, her hair brushed, major things like that. Her clothes, on the other hand, were rumpled, her white beanie still had a mud stain on the side, and her backpack was covered in dust.

She glanced back at her campsite. Her orange tent stood near a fire pit, around which were arranged her Pokemon. Quilava slept closest to the murmuring coals, being a fire type, he loved the heat. Buneary and Pachirisu were both curled up next to each other, breathing quietly. Mamoswine snoozed in the shade of a nearby tree. Being an ice type, he didn't much like fire, which made it strange that he and Quilava got along so well.

"Togeeee!"

Dawn glanced up and smiled. Togekiss wheeled in the sky, gracefully riding the gentle breeze that filtered through the air. She was always so graceful. Comes with the territory when you've been raised mostly by a princess.

Piplup followed her gaze up at the soaring Togekiss, then turned back to her. "Piplup?" (Dawn?)

Dawn smiled for a moment longer, then her face turned sad again. She sighed. "What is wrong with me, Piplup?"

"Toge!" Togekiss suddenly spun around in the air and dove down. A shadow passed over the group, and a faint tremor shook through Dawn's boots.

Dawn spun around, and sucked in a breath as she saw a Salamence crouched near the edge of her camp. Piplup narrowed his eyes and puffed out his chest. The powerful dragon type studied the group, and a low growl issued from its throat.

"Easy, friend. No need for conflict."

Dawn paused at the deep voice. It didn't ring in her memory. She soon found the owner when a dark haired man stepped off the Salamence's back. His shades obscured his eyes, and his black trench coat brushed against the grass. He smiled at her.

"Sorry for dropping in on you like this, but would you mind if we joined you? We've been flying for a long time, and Salamence needs a rest."

"Mamo?" Mamoswine climbed to its feet, staring at the newcomers. The rest of Dawn's Pokemon roused themselves, warily studying the dragon that gazed down at them.

Dawn got to her feet and moved next to the Twin Tusk Pokemon, laying her hand in his thick fur. "It's okay, Mamoswine. Go back to sleep. No, I don't mind. Quilava, would you mind warming up the fire?"

"Quilava!" The weasel-like Pokemon sucked in a breath, then released a stream of fire from its mouth. Within seconds, the simmering coals had blossomed into a crackling fire.

The stranger smiled as he sat down next to the fire, raising his hands to warm them. "Thank you. High flying gets a little chilly after a while. May I ask what your name is?"

Dawn sat down between Quilava and Buneary, who anxiously clutched at Dawn's bare arm. She laid her hand on the Rabbit Pokemon's head, soothing her. "Dawn. Dawn Berlitz."

The stranger smiled again. "Dawn. That's a nice name. I'm Roy. Nice to meet you."

Dawn smiled slightly. She felt like he was familiar, but she couldn't place his face. "And you. I'm sorry, but do I know you from somewhere?"

Roy chuckled. "Maybe. How long have you been in Hoenn?"

Dawn glanced down at the fire. "Not long. About a month."

Roy nodded. "Then probably not. I've only arrived here a few days ago." He turned and looked at Salamence, who had laid its spiky head on its paws, studying Pachirisu, who had cautiously approached it. "You seem to have good Pokemon. Have you been a trainer long?"

Dawn picked up Piplup and set him in her lap. "I'm a coordinator, actually. But I haven't been doing so well."

Roy looked at her curiously. "Oh? Mind if I ask why?"

Dawn studied her boots, smudged with dust and dirt. "I've, just had a lot on my mind."

Roy nodded slowly as he pulled a Pokeball from his waist. A white light flashed as the ball opened, then condensed into a sleeping Lairon. "Well, that's normal for someone raising Pokemon. There are so many things that we have to consider. Is there anything particular that I might be able to help you with?"

Dawn gazed across at him over the crackling flames. Piplup closed its eyes. "Not really, unless you can look into my mind and sort out all my problems."

Roy chuckled. "No, I can't do that. But please, tell me."

Dawn studied him curiously. She was certain that she had never met him, but he still seemed strangely familiar. "Well, not long ago, I had been traveling with some friends, and then we parted ways."

Roy nodded slowly. "Well, was it on good terms?"

Dawn smiled slightly. "Oh, yeah. I mean, we were really good friends, but, our paths just took different ways."

Roy nodded again, slowly petting the Lairon's glittering head. The shiny metal reflected the flames. "I see. Well, that's good at least. It's hard to leave friends. I assume that you had been traveling together for a while?"

Dawn nodded, smiling as fond memories surfaced. "Yes. I actually started my journey with them." She had to chuckle. "With one of them, I actually met him after saving his partner from some crooks."

Roy's brow furrowed. "Crooks, you say?"

She nodded. "Yeah. They had been after his Pikachu for years. But they'd always failed."

Roy smiled. "Oh, good. That's always good to hear. And you got your friend and his Pikachu reunited?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Sort of. Pikachu had got grabbed by this big robot the crooks were using, and my friend risked his life getting him back. He was able to break the robot using another Pokemon he had with him, an Aipom, and actually climbed up the robot as it was exploding to rescue his Pikachu. But, it worked out. After that, I asked him if I could travel with him, since he seemed to be a really experienced trainer, and I was just starting out. And that's how the three of us got together."

Roy frowned as he counted on his fingers. "Hmm, that makes just two. Or did you meet your other friend later?"

Dawn smiled. "No, my friends had been traveling together already, and knew each other from a long ways back."

Roy nodded. "I see. Well, tell me about them."

Dawn sighed as her memories surfaced. "Well, there was Brock. He was the oldest of us three. He used to be a Pokemon breeder, but now he's training to become a Pokemon doctor."

Roy smiled. "An admirable vocation."

Dawn smiled. "It made sense, really. He knew so much about Pokemon from his time as a breeder. He knew everything, really. Brock could put a Pokemon professor to shame with his knowledge. It didn't matter what the Pokemon was, he knew just how to take care of it. How it would like to be treated, where it would like to be rubbed, what kind of food it would like. Being an expert cook really helped as well."

Her stomach suddenly growled, startling Piplup from his nap. She blushed slightly as Roy laughed. "Sorry. Brock wasn't just good at making Pokemon food."

It took Roy a few seconds to stop laughing. Salamence glanced over at its trainer, then closed its eyes as Pachirisu started running circles around the big dragon. Quilava stepped into the fire and curled up into a ball, his flame-proof fur protecting him from the heat while still allowing him to warm up. Togekiss alighted on Mamoswine's back, shifting her wings as she settled down to snooze.

Finally, Roy managed to stifle his laughter. "Yes, I can hear your stomach agreeing with you. I imagine that it was good having someone with so much knowledge with you on your journey. Did Pikachu belong to him?"

Dawn smiled slightly, although her eyes were still sad. "It was nice having him. He taught me a lot about how to take care of my Pokemon. But no, Pikachu didn't belong to him. Pikachu was Ash's partner, and his best friend."

Roy gave her a curious look. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, what with his eyes concealed behind his sunglasses. "Tell me about Ash."

Dawn laughed. "Oh, where do I begin. Ash was..." She stopped.

_How do I describe Ash? There is so much to say, so much he did for me._

"...Brock taught me how to take care of my Pokemon. Ash...taught me how to care for Pokemon. Almost everything I know about Pokemon, about being a trainer, about how people and Pokemon interact, I learned from him. He taught me how to catch Pokemon," she giggled as she remembered when she accidentally hit Ash in the head with a Pokeball, "he taught me how to befriend my Pokemon. He taught me to care for Pokemon, whether they belonged to me or not. He taught me how to battle. He taught me to always have confidence in myself. He was always there. He was always cheering me on in my contests. He always consoled me when I lost. He celebrated with me when I won. "

She turned her gaze skyward, as tears started to glisten in her eyes. "He taught me how to make friends with people I've never even met. He was always there when I needed help. He inspired me. He was the most caring, courageous," she laughed slightly, "hungry, hot-headed, stubborn, driven, most amazing person I've ever known. Pokemon, and Pokemon battles, were his life, his love. His dream was to become a Pokemon Master, but he never hesitated to offer help to anyone who needed it. He protected me when I was in trouble. Frankly, Mesprit could have chosen either one of us."

Piplup shot a glance up at her, and Dawn clapped a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening as she looked at Roy. It was part of her duty to protect Mesprit, the Mirage Pokemon of emotions, and telling everyone about it probably didn't help.

Fortunately, Roy seemed to be preoccupied with Salamence, who had just sent Pachirisu bowling away with a single snort, its eyes still firmly closed. A soft growl issued from the slumbering Lairon's throat as he absently scratched beneath one of the metal plates on its back. He turned back towards her.

"I'm sorry, I must have zoned out for a couple seconds. What did you say?"

She blushed slightly, thankful that he hadn't seemed to notice what she had said about Mesprit. "I said, he couldn't have been a better friend."

Roy nodded as Lairon scratched the ground in its sleep. "Call me psychic, but from what you've said, he was more than just a friend."

Dawn sat up straight, blinking away her tears. "Excuse me?"

Roy grinned at her. "Dawn, I've been traveling a long time. Longer than you've been alive, I would imagine. I think I know something like this when I hear it."

She glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Roy chuckled as he shook his head. He mumbled something under his breath that she didn't catch. "You know, I once met a girl on my travels. She was so kind. A little soft-spoken. She was so eager to learn about people, and Pokemon. And I won't deny, I was pretty dashing in my younger years. We traveled together for a time. She was the most, interesting, caring, beautiful person I had ever seen."

His deep voice took on a wistful tone, and Dawn wondered who the girl was. Roy fell silent for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess you could say, I fell in love with her. At the time, I was totally oblivious. Looking back, it seems pretty obvious now." He chuckled. "Twenty-twenty hindsight, I guess."

Dawn studied him. "So, what happened?"

Roy pulled another Pokeball from his belt, this time releasing a Blastoise. A rumble issued from the giant blue turtle's mouth as two plates lifted from its shell, allowing a pair of cannons to extend outwards. The Blastoise glanced around at the group, then slowly walked away, making its way down the hillside.

"She got pregnant, that's what happened. We were both scared. Hell, I wasn't ready to be a father, and she wasn't ready to be a mother. But, we didn't have much choice. So we got married, and I tried, I really tried. But..." He paused again. "The problem was, my family has always had a wandering soul. Everyone, boy or girl, eventually, we leave home, and we travel. So I tried to stay, to be a father for my son. But, eventually, I got the urge to travel again."

Roy chuckled again. "Thank Arceus that my wife was so understanding. I warned her that, eventually, our son would leave home too, once he got his first Pokemon."

He sighed. "So there you have it. I left her, and my son, behind, so that I could travel again." He chuckled, then turned his shaded gaze on her. "Not much of a father, am I? But make no mistake, I love them both. As much as I love my Pokemon, I love them both."

Dawn absorbed the information. "Wow."

Roy leaned forward. "What I'm trying to say, Dawn, is that I understand. You may not see it, but to anyone else who is looking, it's going to be painfully obvious."

Dawn started as a thought occurred to her. _Wait, is he suggesting that..._

Roy smiled as he got to his feet. "Perhaps your friend is like my family. Perhaps he has a wandering soul, never settling, always searching for something, always chasing some dream around the world. If so, it isn't easy having people like us as friends, or something else."

He pulled a Pokeball from his belt. A red beam shot from the red and white sphere, striking the Lairon next to him. The bulky Iron Armor Pokemon dissolved into red light, then disappeared into the Pokeball.

The Salamence opened its eyes, lumbering to its feet. Tensing, it leaped into the air, soaring over the campsite, landing with a loud crash on the edge of the hilltop. Roy strode over to the Dragon Pokemon, and clambered onto its back. He turned back to look at Dawn and grinned. "I hope you and your friend cross paths again."

Dawn scrambled to her feet, clutching a startled and confused Piplup in her arms. The rest of her Pokemon were startled awake by Salamence's landing, Quilava even jumping out of the fire pit with the flames on its neck and tail blazing.

"Wait! What were you talking about when you said that Ash was more than just a friend!"

Roy simply grinned at her. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of telling you that. You seem like a smart girl, you'll figure it out."

Dawn gritted her teeth in frustration. "Well, can I at least get your last name!" she yelled desperately.

Salamence yawned, revealing its long fangs. Roy chuckled as the Dragon Pokemon slowly extended its curved wings. He pulled his sunglasses down slightly, revealing warm brown eyes, a look that knocked the wind from Dawn's lungs as effectively as a punch to the stomach. "Ketchum. Roy Ketchum."

Salamence roared at the brightening horizon, the approaching sun turning the sky crimson, and jumped off the hilltop, throwing itself into the air. Its large wings drove down, beating the air fiercely, and the bulky dragon and its passenger slowly spiraled into the air.

Dawn hurried to the edge of the hilltop, staring up at the stranger. She turned her gaze down to the bottom of the hill, and spotted his Blastoise drinking from a slow moving river. The Shellfish Pokemon turned its eyes upward, and the Salamence swooped down on it. A thin red beam shot from the dragon's back, retrieving the Blastoise, and then the Salamence flew off.

Dawn stared after him as he dwindled to a tiny dot, then disappeared altogether. She remained standing there for several minutes. Piplup looked up at her, then wriggled out of her grasp. She barely noticed, merely continuing to stare out at the brightening horizon. Finally, she sat down on the nearby log, just as she had been earlier that morning.

Finally, she turned to the concerned Piplup.

"Piplup, you don't think..." she fell silent.

Piplup tilted his head. "Pip, piplup?" (Don't think what?)

Dawn returned her gaze to the distant horizon, the crimson sky lightening to a gold color. "No, he couldn't have..."

She turned back to Piplup. "Am I...am I in love with Ash?"

Piplup stared at her in confusion. "Pip, lup, pip pip?" (Uh, what do you mean? Like, you have crush on him like Buneary has on Pikachu?)

Buneary suddenly jumped on Piplup's head. "Bun, bun!" (Be quiet, you!)

They tussled for a moment, then stopped at Dawn's stern voice. "Piplup, Buneary, stop it!"

Both Pokemon turned their eyes towards their trainer. Dawn continued to stare out at the horizon. "Do I really love Ash?" she asked quietly.

Even as she said it, she felt something shift in her heart. Something about the word love felt right to her, like something that had been missing before had finally clicked into place.

"Ash...I love you..." she softly whispered. Again, something about the sentence felt right to her.

"Toge?" Togekiss fluttered down in front of her. Quilava jumped up next to her, his flames gone now that he had calmed down. Pachirisu leaped over her, landing on Togekiss's back, and Mamoswine's tusks appeared on either side of her. Piplup and Buneary moved next to Togekiss, and all of Dawn's Pokemon looked at her.

Dawn smiled, and for the first time in over a month, it was genuine. She smiled as she remembered all the times the Ash had saved her life, risking his own in the process. She smiled as she remembered all the times that Ash had helped her. She smiled as she remembered all the times that she had helped him, and cheered for him. She smiled as she remembered their adventures, all the times they had thwarted Team Rocket, Team Galactic, and Hunter J. She remembered their adventures in Alamos Town, the Reverse World, Michina Town, and Crown City. She remembered Ash cheering her on when she had battled Zoey in the Grand Festival Finals, and how she had cheered when Ash had finally beaten Paul in the Lily of the Valley Pokemon League Semi-finals.

Above all, she remembered his face. His messy hair. His weather tanned skin. His treasured hat. The way he would look at his beloved Pokemon. The way he would laugh when they shared some joke. The feel of his gloved hand when they shared a high-five. The way his warm brown eyes drew her in, reassuring her when she was afraid, encouraging her when she faltered, shining with happiness when she succeeded.

Dawn smiled as she got to her feet. The sun finally broke over the horizon, casting its golden rays across the beautiful landscape, warming her face.

Softly, she whispered again, though her voice carried much more strength and reassurance. "I love you, Ash Ketchum, even if I have to travel the world to find out and tell you." As she said the words, she felt her heart soar, and she laughed.

She looked down at her confused Pokemon, stepping around them so that she could face all of them at the same time, and smiled. "No need to worry."

Piplup gave her a strange look, reminding her of what Ash always said when she said that, and she laughed again.

"I know that I haven't been doing too well lately. My mind hasn't been like it should, and you've all had to bear with it. I know that it's my fault we haven't been doing well in contests, and I'm sorry."

She smiled as her Pokemon looked at each other. "So, I want you all to know, that I'm better now. I know something now that I didn't know before. And I have an idea. Wanna hear it?"

Piplup continued giving her a strange look. He didn't know what had happened to her, or why her mood had suddenly shifted, but he liked it. It had been too long since she had really smiled. "Piplup!" (Tell us Dawn!)

Dawn smiled as she picked up her partner. "What do you all say, that we take a break from contests. You've all been working so hard, even with me being in my slump, so I think it's time we took some time off, and chase down an old friend. What do you all say, that we go and track down Ash?"

She watched Buneary consider it for a moment, and then laughed as the Rabbit Pokemon turned bright scarlet. Pachirisu immediately started running circles around the group, chattering excitedly. Piplup let out a happy cheer at the thought of seeing his closest friend again. She knew that Piplup and Pikachu were like brothers.

"All right, it's decided." Dawn set Piplup back on the log. "We'll track down Ash, wherever he is, and we won't stop until we find him again. So let's get everything ready."

Every one of her Pokemon let out a cheer. Piplup and Mamoswine set about extinguishing the fire, Piplup firing his Bubblebeam to dampen the flames, Mamoswine using his tusks to dig up mounds to dirt, burying the coals. Buneary hopped inside Dawn's tent, being somewhat adept at organizing her things. Quilava intently inspected the buried fire. Being a fire type, he knew better than any of them how quickly a fire could spread if not dealt with properly. Smiling at Piplup's and Mamoswine's handiwork, the Volcano Pokemon jumped up onto his big friend's broad back. Togekiss chased down the now hyper-active Pachirisu. Being one of the eldest and kindhearted of Dawn's Pokemon, Togekiss acted almost like the mother of the group.

Dawn smiled as her Pokemon, her partners, her closest friends set about organizing the camp site, then turned around and stared out at the horizon. She felt different than she had before, like she had been lost for a long time, and now felt like she knew where she was going, like she had a purpose.

"Buneary?" (err, Dawn?)

Dawn glanced down. Buneary was standing next to her, holding one of her black t-shirts in her small paws. Or at least, it was supposed to be black. Now, it was smudged here and there with dirt and dust. She looked down at herself, similarly dusty.

"You're right, Buneary. I can't go after Ash looking like this. This won't do at all. Do I have anything that looks good enough to wear?"

Buneary shook her head slowly. "Bun, buneary, bun." (You can wear them, but I seriously doubt you would want to)

Dawn smiled as she looked down the hill, down to the glittering river below. "Well, I guess it is time to do some laundry. Piplup! Mamoswine! Pachirisu! Come and help us!"

Almost an hour later, after Dawn, Piplup, Buneary and Pachirisu had given all of Dawn's clothes a vigorous scrubbing, along with Buneary's vest, all five of them were marching up the hill, her clothes draped across Mamoswine's back. Quilava had decided to help as well, standing on the tips of all four paws, the flames on his head and back blazing fiercely. Mamoswine moved slowly, making sure that Quilava didn't tip over and accidentally scorch Dawn's clothes as the Volcano Pokemon dried them.

Finally, nearly two hours after Roy had left, Dawn stood once again at the edge of the hilltop. Most of her Pokemon were safely in their Pokeballs. Piplup, of course, remained outside. She had long since decided that she wasn't going to keep him inside his ball unless she had to, another thing she had picked up from Ash. Togekiss was circling above her, still wanting to enjoy the morning breeze, and Mamoswine stood nearby, having offered to let her ride to Slateport. Her tent was packed away in its bag, strapped to the bottom of her backpack.

Dawn glanced at the rising sun, now fully departed from the horizon and shining brightly. Her blue hair shone in the sun, having been properly washed and brushed. Her clothes almost gleamed, not a speck of dirt or dust on them. She smiled as she pulled her stark white beanie on, the pink Pokeball design hovering over her eyes.

She took a deep breath. "Ash Ketchum, I love you. And I won't stop looking until I find you, and tell you how I feel. I don't know what you will say, but I can't keep it inside anymore. I have to tell you."

She smiled as Piplup tugged at her boot, the Penguin Pokemon eager to go. She picked up her closest friend.

"Come on, Piplup. Let's go see Ash." she said as she climbed up on Mamoswine's back.

Together, the group set off, and for the first time since Ash had left, Dawn felt like she could almost be happy again. There was still a hole in her heart, a yawning pit that felt like it could never be filled.

But as Dawn looked up at the shining sun, she knew exactly what would fill it.


	2. Ash's first POV

_Far off in the Unova region, Ash struggles to sleep, but thoughts of someone he left behind him dwell on his mind..._

Ash rolled back and forth in his sleeping bag, trying to get to sleep. But no matter what he did, sleep still eluded him.

Finally, he collapsed on his back. _Oh, what's the use. A Hypno couldn't put me to sleep tonight._

He stared up at the night sky, the glittering constellations of Unova rapidly becoming familiar to him.

He grunted. _Along with so many others. _It puzzled him as to why he couldn't sleep tonight. It had never happened before, but over the last few days, sleep had been increasingly hard to find. When he could sleep, his dreams were broken and fitful. It almost made him swear that he was being tailed by a Darkrai, but Darkrai could only be found in Sinnoh, as he well knew.

He groaned as he sat up. _So what's the matter with me? I've got gym battles coming up, I need all the sleep I can get. So why can't I get any?_

He glanced down next to him, where a small yellow and brown bundle lay curled next to his sleeping bag. A tall, jagged tail, shaped like a lightning bolt, projected from the bundle of fur, and a pair of tall, pointed ears twitched slightly.

Ash smiled. Pikachu and him had been traveling together for nearly seven or eight years. In that time, they had become more than Trainer and Pokemon, but the closest of friends. He knew that he could always trust his buddy.

Sighing, he grabbed his hat and stood up, stretching his arms. He figured that, even though he couldn't sleep, it wouldn't be fair to wake up Pikachu.

Placing his hat on his head, he slowly walked away from the campsite, paying just enough attention to avoid bumping into anything.

_Was it something I've eaten? I don't think so. I mean, I know I always eat a lot, and Cilan's cooking is just as good as Brock's, so I don't see how that could be a problem. And there isn't anything coming up that I'm scared of. Nervous, sure, who wouldn't be. Excited, of course. But scared? Nah._

He paused beside a tree, gazing up at the night sky. He chuckled.

_If she were here, Dawn'd probably know right away what was bothering me. She always did know me the best. Almost as good as Brock or Pikachu. _

He frowned. _Wait, why am I thinking about Dawn? We parted a while back, she's probably fine._

He snorted. _Ah, who am I kidding. I'll always worry about her. She's almost as reckless as I am. _

He smiled as he remembered her famous 'no need to worry' line. _That's when I worry the most._

"Ash?"

He jumped slightly and turned around. Iris stood behind him, looking at him quizzically. "Iris, geez, you startled me."

The purple haired dragon trainer sighed. "You are such a kid, Ash. What are you doing up anyways?"

Ash grimaced. "Will you stop calling me a kid already! I'm eighteen, and I've been traveling longer than you have!"

Iris stepped back. "Calm down, will you? I was just teasing you."

Ash leaned against the tree and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, well, it stopped being funny a long time ago, so stop."

Iris matched his stance. "Fine, but answer my question. What are you doing up? It's not like you to still be awake."

Ash sighed and turned around, returning his gaze to the stars. "I don't know. I've just..." he fumbled for words, "...been thinking, that's all."

Iris snorted. "Wow, that's a change. What about?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "About...some old friends, that's all."

Iris stepped up beside him, looking at him curiously. "Such as?"

Ash sighed. "Have you ever thought about people you knew, people you left behind, and wondered where they are now, Iris?"

Iris stared at her friend. It wasn't like him to be so reflective. "Well, yeah. Everyone does. If we didn't, then we wouldn't have been friends with those people."

"Hmm, I detect a somber flavour tonight."

Ash and Iris turned around as Cilan strode up to them. The green haired Connoisseur smiled. "So, what's on your mind Ash?"

Ash smiled slightly, then turned back to look at the sky. "Thinking about people I know."

"Ah, old friends. They are what make up the most wonderful flavours in the recipe of life. Is there perhaps one in particular that has captured your thoughts?"

Ash chuckled slightly. _Captured. Oh, he has no idea._ "You might say that."

Cilan smiled. "Excellent. Who are they?"

Ash sighed. "She, actually."

Iris smiled. "Aww, Ash, do you have a girlfriend? That's so cute!"

Ash turned and glared at her. "She's not my girlfriend. We just traveled together, that's all."

Cilan nodded thoughtfully. "And yet, she keeps springing to mind. Am I right?"

Ash nodded as his gaze returned to the stars. "Her name's Dawn. I traveled with her before I came here. She was..." _Man, how do I describe her. There's so much._ "...interesting."

Iris grimaced. "Interesting? That's it? You keep thinking about this girl, and all you can come up with to describe her is interesting? You really are a kid."

Cilan noticed that, for once, Ash didn't respond to Iris's teasing. He found that curious, since Ash normally hated being called a kid. He looked closer, and found that, to his surprise, Ash wasn't paying any attention at all. "Ash? Are you still with us?"

Ash jerked slightly. "Huh? Sorry, just, remembering stuff. We did a lot together."

Iris jumped up into a tree and laid down on one of the branches, her chin perched in her hands. "Did you kiss her?"

Ash really glared at her this time. "No! Will you stop going on about the girlfriend thing? Jeez, you're as bad as Lyra!"

Cilan smiled at Iris's teasing. "Ash, why don't you tell us about Dawn."

"Pikapi!" (Ash!)

Ash turned in surprise as Pikachu shot out of a bush, stopping at his feet. The electric mouse, almost coming up to his knees, stared up at him with black eyes. He could see the tiny reflections of the stars in his best friend's eyes, and he bent down to lower his arm. Pikachu immediately climbed up his arm, settling into his favourite place on Ash's shoulder. Ash smiled as he reached up and scratched his friend's head.

"Chaaaaaaaa." (Ooooooh, that feels good.)

Ash's smile grew slightly wider as memories continued to flash through his mind. "I first met Dawn not long after I arrived in Sinnoh. Pikachu was sick after another run-in with Team Rocket on the boat, and we got separated."

Pikachu suddenly leaned over, peering at Ash's face. "Pikapi, pika, pikapikachu?" (Ash, are you still dreaming about Dawn?)

Ash looked at his friend in confusion. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

Iris and Cilan looked confused. "What? What did he say?" Iris demanded.

Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder, easily landing on the ground. He spun around and looked up at his trainer. "Pika, pikapi. Pikachu, pipi, pikapika. Pikaaaa, chu, pichu, pichuchu. Pikapikachu, pi, pika?" (Listen Ash. I don't know why you didn't tell her. I mean, it was so obvious, so why not?)

Ash stared at his friend of almost eight years. "Pikachu, I don't know what you're talking about."

Pikachu rolled his eyes. "Pikaaaaaaaachu. Pikachuchupi." (Oh, Arceus, you are dense. Brock was right.)

Ash frowned angrily. "Hey, there's no need for that! And what do you mean, Brock was right?"

Iris and Cilan looked between trainer and Pokemon. "Ash, what was Brock right about?" Cilan asked gently.

Ash threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know! I don't know what you're talking about, Pikachu, so please, tell me!"

Pikachu glared at his dense friend. _Jeez, why does Ash have to be so blind? Even __**I **__wasn't this dense with Buneary._ he thought. "Pika, chupika pikapi. Pika..." (Come on, Ash. Do I need to spell it out...)

Ash was finally glaring at his friend. "Apparently, because I'm not getting it!"

Cilan decided that this was the time to intervene. "Pikachu, please. I don't know what you're telling Ash, but it isn't helping. Ash, since all your current problems seem to be focused on Dawn, why don't you tell us about her. In detail, please."

Ash and Pikachu continued glaring at each other, then Ash took a breath. "I'm sorry, Pikachu. I'm just...I've been a little stressed out about this, okay?" He sat down and leaned against the tree again. "Dawn was...I don't know how best to explain her. I met her just as she was starting her journey as a coordinator with her Piplup, but I could tell, she was going to be fun to have around. I didn't think she would be such a pain to have around at first, and we argued a bit, but it was obvious to me that she loved Pokemon every bit as much as I did." He chuckled. "Of course, she didn't have a clue about what she was doing at first. It took Piplup to remind her occasionally just what she was supposed to do in a battle. Once we hooked up," he glared as Iris stifled a laugh, and Cilan shushed her, "I helped her out a lot. I showed her how to battle, though she had figured out a lot on her own just before we met. I showed her how to catch a Pokemon," he unconsciously rubbed his forehead, "although it took her a few tries to get it right. We did a lot together."

Ash smiled as he remembered her catchphrase again. "She had a lot of spirit. She had always wanted to compete in Contests, to be a better coordinator than even her mother was. And she absolutely loved her Pokemon. I've never seen anybody like her. And it wasn't just Pokemon. She was always eager to learn about new things." He chuckled. "You know, I actually got a lot of my best strategies from her. You know my Counter Shield idea? I developed that off of her Spin style. It was a simple, elegant move, a way to take her opponent's attack, and use it to show off her Pokemon. She was amazing like that."

By this point, both Cilan and Iris were absolutely quiet. Iris had only been joking when she had suggested that this Dawn girl had been Ash's girlfriend, but now she was wondering if she had really been that far off the mark. Cilan was smiling as he listened. He knew exactly what was going on, and he suspected that he knew what Brock had once said.

Ash merely continued to smile as he looked up at the sky. "Dawn was so kind. She always had time for others, especially me. She never missed a single Gym battle I had, never missed a single battle of any kind that I had while in Sinnoh. She was always there."

He frowned slightly. "There was even a point where I was seriously depressed. I had just lost a huge battle against this guy, Paul. And it was huge. I mean, I totally hated this guy. He was jerk, not just to everyone else, but even to his Pokemon. And he completely thrashed me. It wasn't just that he beat me, he beat me so badly, that I didn't know if my Pokemon, my friends that I had trained so hard with, were going to be okay. I just didn't know."

Pikachu looked at his friend sadly. He remembered that battle. It had hurt. A lot. "Pikachu." (oh, you guys have no idea). He crawled over to Ash and pushed his head into his friend's hand, trying to get him away from that memory.

Ash smiled as he absently scratched his buddy's ears. "But, you know what the best part was?"

Iris and Cilan stared at him, utterly enthralled.

"Not only was Dawn still there for me, but she organized an entire performance with her Pokemon, just to cheer me up. No one has ever done that for me."

Cilan sighed. This only confirmed what he thought. He noticed Iris about to speak, and he hushed her again.

Ash failed to notice, he was so wrapped up in his thoughts. "And, the funny part is, I was always there for her. I actually participated in her first Contest with her."

He glanced down at Pikachu, who was continuing to rub his head against Ash's hand. In his other palm, he could feel a phantom tingling sensation, like his hand was remembering all the high-fives they had shared.

"I never missed a single contest that she did. We often trained together. When she had been on this big losing streak, when she hadn't even managed to get past the first Appeals round in a contest three times in a row, I did my best to help her get out of her slump." He winced slightly. "Although, I never realized how bad she had really been feeling, until I got crushed like that."

Pikachu jumped out of Ash's lap, climbed up the tree behind him, and lowered himself back onto his shoulder. He gently licked Ash's face.

Ash smiled again. "We supported each other, in everything we did. It's almost funny, but, looking back, it amazes me just how alike we really were. We were both really passionate about Pokemon, we both had rival's that we just couldn't stand. We both never quit."

He sighed. "There was just, something about her..."

Cilan smiled. "Well, she certainly does sound like a most interesting person. An energetic flavour, with a wistful after taste...like a fine wine to complement a spicy meal. When did you last speak to her?"

Ash continued to gaze up at the stars for a moment, then blinked and looked at Cilan. "I'm sorry, what? When did I last talk to her? Well, before I came here, while I was at home, I sent her a letter, but, Sinnoh is a whole ocean away from Kanto, so she might not have gotten it before I left."

Iris's eyes widened. "Wait, you never even called her?"

Ash shifted uncomfortably. "No. Dawn's Buneary had just gotten this chance to be a Pokemodel for the Sinnoh Magazine, and calling someone when they're in the middle of their journey is a lot different then calling them when they're at home."

Cilan sighed. "Ash, Ash, Ash. It is obvious to me, that this Dawn means a great deal to you. And I'm guessing that, despite your farewell, you weren't quite ready to say good-bye." He glanced at Iris and winked. "Leaving friends behind is hard, that doesn't change regardless of who you are. But friends who might be more than friends, as this Dawn girl seems to be, is much harder, especially when there is a part of you that doesn't want to say good-bye."

Ash frowned, and looked at Cilan in confusion. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Cilan merely stretched his arms. "Well, it's getting late, and we have a long way to go tomorrow. We should all get some sleep."

Iris jumped down from her tree. "I should also be getting back to Axew, in case he wakes up and doesn't know where I am. G'night Cilan, g'night Pikachu, g'night Ash!" She quickly skipped back to camp, Cilan in hot pursuit. "Good night Pikachu, good night Ash!" he quietly yelled.

Ash clambered to his feet, while Pikachu turned and jumped back into the tree. "Hey! What were you talking about!" He yelled. He wanted to chase both of them down, and force Cilan to explain what he was talking about, but that would be rather loud, and it wouldn't be fair to the rest of his Pokemon. So, he just sighed and sat down again.

Pikachu slowly climbed down the tree until he was crouched once again on Ash's shoulder. Ash looked down at the ground, and absently scratched under his little friend's chin. He glanced at the dim glow of the campfire, then quietly unzipped his hoodie, and slipped his hand inside. He withdrew a small, folded up photograph.

Unfolding the picture, his eyes settled on the three figures standing together. On the one side, with Pikachu on his shoulder, was himself. On the other side, stood his long time friend, Brock.

And standing there in the middle, holding her Piplup close to her chest, smiling the same cheerful smile that she always had, was Dawn.

But as he gazed down at her, Ash found himself looking at her differently. He noted how the sunlight made her blue hair shine. He noted the way that her creamy skin gleamed against her black shirt. Most of all, he found himself focusing on her eyes. As he watched, his mental image of her arose in his mind. There, every detail was sharper, more clear. He could hear her laugh, see her smile, feel her touch. Most of all, he could see the way that her eyes glittered and sparkled. He smiled as he remembered every time she had smiled at him, every time she had cheered him on.

And as he remembered, Ash felt a familiar feeling. As he remembered the numerous cheers that she had crafted for his gym battles, he felt energized, empowered. He felt like he could take on a thousand Gym Leaders, and all the Elite Four and Champions of every region he had traveled, and still be fired up for more. As he felt this feeling grow within him, he thought back on his words.

_No one has ever done that for me before..._

Pikachu switched his gaze between Ash and the photograph, and he noticed the change in his friend. He jumped down from his shoulder, looking up at him curiously. "Pikapi?" (Ash?)

Ash merely continued to smile as he looked at the photo. "She really is beautiful, isn't she." he murmured. "No, she's not beautiful. She's just amazing."

As he folded the photo again, Ash shifted over so that he could lay back, staring straight up at the sky. And as he slipped the photo into a small pocket inside his hoodie, right over his heart, he softly spoke.

"Dawn, I don't know where you are. I hope you're doing alright. I don't know what's going on with me, and maybe, if we see each other again, I can talk to you about it, maybe figure out what's wrong, or if there even is anything wrong."

He turned his head as Pikachu crawled up next to him. "Maybe this is just part of missing someone that you care about. I don't know. But, I hope that I can find out. I owe it to my Pokemon to find out."

Pikachu yawned. "Pika, pikachu, pipichu, pika." (I'm sure you humans have a word for what you have, but I can't remember what it is.)

Ash smiled as he placed his hand on his friend's head. "Good night, Pikachu."

He turned to look up at the star-speckled night sky. "Good night Dawn, where ever you are."

_ What, you thought I would give Ash the same situation as Dawn? Come on, this is Ash we're talking about. Rest assured, he will eventually figure it out, maybe after a certain tag-battle with a certain girl. And sorry about the poor ending, I got interrupted and couldn't find my train of thought again. Suggestions for improvements welcome!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Ah, the slings and arrows of love. Deciding to find the person that makes you whole is one thing, actually finding them is quite another. But even in love, you can still meet new people..._

Dawn smiled as she slowly walked down the trail. Ever since she had discovered that she was in love with Ash, the person who had made her life better in so many ways, everything was better in her eyes. The sun seemed to shine brighter, the flowers that swayed back and forth in the breeze seemed more cheerful, and overall, everything just seemed better to her.

She sighed happily, loving the feel of the cool wind on her face, the softness of Mamoswine's fur beneath her hands.

A small explosion jerked her out of her revery, and she noticed a plume of smoke rising into the air nearby. She frowned.

"What's that? A battle?"

Piplup blinked his eyes open. "Pip?" He twisted around, noticing the plume of smoke. Jumping to his feet he pointed towards it with his wing. "Pip, piplup!" (Something's going on!)

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, let's go check it out. Come on, Mamoswine." She picked up Piplup, slid down off of Mamoswine's back, and hurried in the direction of the smoke, the big Twin Tusk Pokemon following her.

Rushing through the trees into a small clearing, Dawn's eyes narrowed. Two figures stood on one side. One was a woman with gold hair, pink triangle earrings, elbow length white gloves, thigh length white boots, and a black mini-dress. The other was a man with pale green hair, white gloves, white boots, and a black shirt and pants. In front of the two people were a Sableye and Mightyena.

On the other side of the clearing stood a young boy with dark green, almost black hair, approximately ten years old. He wore a green t-shirt, brown shorts, green shoes, and a yellow backpack. Dark blue eyes glared out from behind his glasses. In front of him stood a small Ralts and a Slakoth.

The gold haired woman laughed. "Look, kid. This is only going to end one way, so why don't you just make it easier on yourself, and just hand over your Pokemon already. That weak Slakoth of yours looks like it's about to close it's eyes for the last time."

The green haired man grinned cruelly. "And that pathetic excuse for a Pokemon that you call a Ralts isn't fairing much better."

It was plain to Dawn's eyes that both adults spoke the truth. The Slakoth's eyes looked droopier than normal, and it swayed back and forth. The Ralts was supporting itself with on arm, shivering.

The boy gritted his teeth. "For the last time, we are not giving up!"

The woman laughed again. "Suit yourself. Mightyena, Take Down!"

The man chuckled. "Sableye, Shadow Ball!"

The Mightyena growled, and it rushed forward. The Sableye put its claws together, and purple, crackling sphere of energy formed between them, which it promptly threw.

The boy stamped his foot. "Slakoth, get out of the way! Ralts, look out!"

The Slakoth wearily raised its eyes, but it was just too tired to move. The Mightyena slammed shoulder first into the Slacker Pokemon, hurling it backwards. The poor Pokemon roughly crashed into the ground, and it was obvious that it was going to be a long time before it was getting back up on its own.

The Ralts did only a little better. It managed to raise itself to its full, if short height, and a blue glow shone from beneath its helmet-like hair. The crackling Shadow Ball that flew towards it became outlined in blue, and slowly began to curve to away. But it was moving too quickly, and shifting too slowly. The powerful orb clipped the Ralts in the shoulder, spinning it like a top. The Feeling Pokemon let out a pitiful cry of pain, and slumped over. It lay on the ground for a couple seconds, then, incredibly, slowly began to push itself up.

The woman grinned. "Well, well. Looks like this one still has some spunk. But that won't be enough. Time to finish this."

Now, there were very few things that got Dawn angry. Typically, they were small, petty things, like when her hair refused to cooperate, or whenever Kenny called her Dee-dee. But nothing got her so worked up as seeing the utter cruelty demonstrated by the two adults, and the fact that she recognized the red R's on their uniforms made her blood boil. She knew exactly who these two people were from the stories that Ash had told her. They were part of Team Rocket. The woman was named Cassidy, and the man...something with a B. Ash could never remember.

She growled under her breath. "Hey! Leave him alone!" Piplup jumped out of her arms, glaring at the duo.

The both Team Rocket members looked over at her in surprise. "Well, look who else has decided to join the party. Beat it, hussy." Cassidy said dismissively.

Dawn glared at them. "My name is Dawn. And you're with Team Rocket, Cassidy and...Ben?"

The man growled and shook his fist at her. "Urrrrrgh, it's Butch! And yeah, we're with Team Rocket. What of it? Why don't you go crying back to your mommy, girly, and leave us to our business."

Dawn and Piplup stepped forward, both Trainer and Pokemon furious. "Like you gave him that choice? I don't think so!" Dawn shouted.

Cassidy merely chuckled, clearly amused. "Or what? You'll fight us with that little thing?" She gestured flippantly at Piplup, who's pride fueled indignation and anger nearly made him blow his head.

Dawn was equally mad. "Piplup is more than strong enough to take care of both of you! And he's not the only one I have!"

Almost right on cue, the ground began shaking, and a tree crashed to the ground behind her. Mamoswine charged into the clearing, skidding to a stop beside Dawn. His eyes immediately took in the situation, and they narrowed when they saw the black clad Team Rocket members. He well remembered Team Rocket from Sinnoh, and seeing them here did little to improve his mood. He started pawing the ground angrily, opened his rather cavernous mouth, and bellowed.

"Mamooooooooo!"

Butch and Cassidy stood there for a moment, slightly surprised by the abrupt entrance of the Twin Tusk Pokemon. Then greed sparked in Cassidy's eyes, and she smiled.

"Well, well. Looks like you might have something worth while for us after all. Come on, hussy. Show us what you got."

Dawn glanced at the boy, who had already returned his Slakoth to his Pokeball, and was cradling the Ralts in his arms, tears in his eyes. Dawn's already flaming resolve sparked hotter. _There is no way I am letting these cowards get away with this!_ "Bring it on, bitch!" she spat.

Both the Mightyena and Sableye stepped up. Piplup and Mamoswine stood opposite them, eagerly waiting to dispense their own brand of justice.

Cassidy moved first. "Mightyena, Take Down!"

"Sableye, Shadow Ball!"

Dawn's brow creased as she concentrated. "Piplup, Bubblebeam, Mamoswine, Ancient Power!"

The Mightyena rushed forward again, growling, while the Sableye threw its violet orb at Piplup. Piplup sucked in a breath, puffed out his chest, and blew a fierce stream of blue bubbles. The Bubblebeam and Shadow Ball intercepted each other, the Ghost type attack briefly holding, then exploding into smoke.

Meanwhile Mamoswine briefly glowed silver, and the glow formed a large bright sphere between his tusks. The sphere suddenly shot forward, colliding with the charging Mightyena, throwing the Bite Pokemon backwards in a blinding flash.

Butch growled. "Sableye, Fury Swipes!"

Cassidy was equally irritated. "Mightyena, use your own Shadow Ball!"

The Bite Pokemon got to its feet and opened its jaws. The crackling Shadow Ball formed between its teeth, and with a snap, the Mightyena fired the ball at Mamoswine. The Sableye ran towards Piplup, baring its sharp claws.

Dawn smiled grimly. "Piplup, Whirlpool! Mamoswine, Hidden Power!"

A cluster of green orbs appeared floating over Mamoswine's tusks. The big Ice type thrust his tusks forward, and the orbs shot towards the Mightyena. Some of the orbs collided with the Shadow Ball, but others flew past, striking the dog-like Pokemon, who howled in pain.

Piplup raised his wings over his head and looked up at the sky. His beak glowed blue, and a large, raging whirlpool formed above him. Turning his furious gaze on the approaching Darkness Pokemon, he swung his wings down and hurled the whirlpool at it.

Butch's eyes widened. "Sableye, dodge it!"

The Darkness Pokemon slide to a stop and began back-peddling frantically, but it had no time to react. The raging whirlpool engulfed it, trapping it in the fiercely spinning tides. The Sableye cried out in pain and panic.

Cassidy gritted her teeth. "Mightyena, use Shadow Ball to break Sableye out!"

Dawn smiled. Now was her chance. "Mamoswine, Ice Armor! Piplup, get on Mamoswine's back!"

Butch laughed as Mightyena's Shadow Ball destroyed the whirlpool, freeing his Pokemon. "Ice Armor? That's not even an attack!"

Dawn glance back at the boy behind her, who was watching anxiously, and winked. "That's right, it's not an attack. It's an appeal."

Mamoswine glared at the two Team Rocket members who had scoffed at it. An angry rumble issued from his throat, and a glittering Ice Shard formed between his tusks. As Piplup jumped up onto his back, using his tusk as a platform, the big Ice type opened his mouth wide, and swallowed the attack.

Butch and Cassidy looked at each other in confusion, something that was shared with their Pokemon. "Uh, did that Mamoswine just _eat_ that Ice Shard?" Cassidy asked.

Dawn's smile grew wider. "Yep."

Mamoswine growled again, and both Team Rocket stared in astonishment and a little apprehension as layers of ice formed in a circle around his back, from which large, glittering spikes grew outwards, with one especially large spike projecting out just above his large eyes. Mamoswine had looked intimidating enough before. Now, clad in armor made literally from ice, he looked like a rather angry tank.

Butch gulped slightly, and both Mightyena and Sableye backed away slightly. Cassidy nervously laughed. "Oooh, very pretty. But you're going to need to do better than just put on a show." She turned her head slightly. "Grab a spine!" she hissed at Butch.

Dawn's smile shifted into a grin. "Oh, it's not just for show. You ever been hit by a six hundred and forty pound battering ram with attitude? It hurts. A lot. But because I'm nice, if you start running now, I won't send you flying."

Butch gave a hollow chuckle. "Oh, we're not going anywhere. We're Team Rocket! We don't run from anyone!"

Dawn sighed. Somehow, she hadn't really been expecting that they would. "Piplup, Peck. Mamoswine, hold him with Hidden Power. Are you sure? Last chance?"

Piplup crawled out onto the lead spike of Mamoswine's Ice Armor, his beak glowing white with red streaks and lengthening. A cluster of green orbs formed between Mamoswine's tusks, which floated upwards and surrounded Piplup in a green glow. The Penguin Pokemon floated upwards slightly, then drifted down past the spike to hover in front of Mamoswine's face. Both Pokemon were tensed, waiting for the command to attack.

Cassidy looked at Butch, who nervously looked at her. Both Mightyena and Sableye looked back at their trainers, clearly hoping that they would take the option and run. Cassidy returned her gaze to Dawn.

"No, I think we'll just crush you here."

Dawn shrugged. "Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you. Mamoswine, Take Down!"

Mamoswine bellowed and charged. A gold light surrounded his body as he thundered towards to now shaking Mightyena and Sableye. However, as the light spread up the spikes of his Ice Armor and touched Piplup's beak, it changed to a deep, angry red color, streaked with black lines. Both Pokemon accelerated forward at a prodigious rate.

Suddenly, Piplup spread his wings outward, and threw himself into a spin. He spun faster and faster, until he was a blur, looking a lot like a drill.

Dawn stared in surprise. She recognized that move. It was further confirmed when the boy behind her stepped up beside her. "That's Drill Peck." He said in a voice that, if it hadn't been so heavy with concern, would have sounded matter-of-fact.

Butch and Cassidy blanched, but credit either courage or stupidity, they stood their ground. "Shadow Ball, now!" they both yelled. Mightyena and Sableye hesitated for only a second, which was reasonable, given the massive three-pronged battering ram with drill attachment bearing down on them. Both Pokemon fired their respective attacks, which exploded against Mamoswine's sides.

It did almost nothing to slow down the rampaging juggernaut that was Mamoswine and Piplup. Honestly, it was doubtful whether anything could. Despite the frantic yelling from their trainers, neither Mightyena nor Sableye did anything to avoid the oncoming combination attack. They were utterly paralyzed with fear.

Needless to say, the attack landed square, striking both Pokemon, but Mamoswine found that it had difficulty slowing down, and to be honest, neither he nor Piplup wanted to. So, they continued on, smashing into the now panicking Butch and Cassidy, launching them and their Pokemon high into the sky. The sounds of their arguing over whose fault it was followed them.

Dawn smiled. Though she could have done without the reminder of the more-often-than-she-would-have-liked attempts by Jessie, James and Meowth to kidnap Pikachu, she was happy that she had come up with a new combination to use in contests, and that Piplup had learned Drill Peck. Her smiled widened as her Pokemon returned to her, Piplup perched proudly on Mamoswine's back as the Ice Armor melted away, and she embraced them both.

"You were amazing, guys. And Piplup, you learned Drill Peck, didn't you."

Piplup puffed his chest out further, if possible. "Pip lup." (Yes, yes I did.)

She smiled at his heavily inflated ego, then a thought occurred to her and she turned worriedly towards the boy. "I'm sorry, are you okay? Are your Pokemon hurt badly?"

The boy looked down sadly at the Ralts cradled in his arms. Tiny flashes of light marked his falling tears. "I, I couldn't do anything to stop them. Ralts couldn't do anything except try to deflect their attacks, and she couldn't protect both of them for long. We couldn't do anything against that Sableye."

Dawn frowned sadly, kneeling as she gently placed her hand on the boy's arm. "I know. She fought really hard. I've never seen anyone so brave. Come on, let's take them both to a Pokemon Center, so that they can get some rest."

The boy shook his head. "There isn't a Pokemon Center for the next three miles. I, I don't know what to do." His voice broke. "I wish May, or Brock, or Ash were here. They'd know what to do."

Dawn sat back on her heels in surprise. "How do you know Ash and Brock?"

The boy looked up at her, his eyes tearing up rather badly. "My sister and I traveled with them for almost two years. Why? How do you know them?"

Dawn looked hard into his face, trying to figure out why he looked familiar to her. Suddenly it hit her. "You're Max, May's little brother!"

Max frowned. "How do you know my sister?"

Dawn smiled. "I competed against her in the Wallace Cup at Lake Valor. I started my journey from my hometown in Sinnoh with Ash and Brock."

Max looked at her in confusion, then his eyes widened. "Wait, you're _that_ Dawn? The Dawn who beat my sister?"

Dawn nodded. "Mm-hmm. That's me. This is my partner Piplup, and Mamoswine. And you are Max, May's genius little brother, who knows absolutely _everything_. You must have started your journey not too long ago, did you?"

Max straightened up a little, and Dawn smiled inwardly. _Men and their egos_. "Yeah, I'm Max. Three weeks ago. And this is my partner, Ralts." His eyes suddenly fell, and he looked worriedly down at the weak Psychic Pokemon, who whimpered softly.

Dawn smiled sympathetically. "Well, since your Pokemon obviously need rest, why don't you stay with me for a while, at least until we find a Pokemon Center. Brock taught me a little about taking care of injured Pokemon, although I'm not as good as him." She tentatively reached her hand forward to feel the Ralts' forehead, but the small Feeling Pokemon curled up tighter, pressing her head into Max's chest.

Max sniffled slightly, and held his partner closer. "Sorry. Ralts don't do well in battles, since they can feel all the emotions going on."

Dawn nodded, and a thought occurred to her. "Don't Ralts get strength from happy emotions?"

Max nodded. She smiled and pulled two Pokeballs from her waist. "Well, I don't know anyone more happy or more gentle than these Pokemon. Pachirisu, Togekiss, come on out!" She tossed the Pokeballs into the air.

Both balls split in half, and twin flashes of white light filled the air. One flash curved down to the ground, then condensed into the small shape of Pachirisu, who promptly started dancing in joy. The second burst of light hovered in the air, forming the large, gentle body of Togekiss, who circled the group once, then landed next to Pachirisu to calm him down.

Max stared with wide eyes. "Whoa, you've got a Togekiss? Those are really rare."

Dawn smiled happily. She looked at Ralts in concern, and saw to her relief that it looked slightly better, responding to the gentle kindness of Togekiss and the hyperactive energy of Pachirisu. It even managed to lift its head and peer over Max's arm at the newcomers.

"Hmm. Let me see..." She pulled out a small box from her backpack, and Pachirisu froze. His eyes grew wide, and he immediately jumped onto her leg, sniffing eagerly.

Max looked at her curiously. "What's in there?"

Dawn smiled slyly. "I don't suppose that you or Ralts have ever had a Poffin, have you?" she asked as she opened one of the drawers on the box. Pachirisu started chattering excitedly, and the Ralts tilted its head back, its red eyes peering out from beneath the helmet-like hair.

Max shook his head. "No, but I've heard of them. They're like Pokeblocks, right?"

Dawn nodded as she pulled out a small pink bun. "Mm-hmm. And I happen to be very good at making them. See?" She handed the Poffin to Pachirisu. The Elesquirrel Pokemon nearly squeaked in happiness, and began devouring the sweet pastry. Within seconds, it had vanished into his little mouth, and he began begging for another.

Max laughed at the small Pokemon's antics, and Dawn noticed that Ralts seemed to be looking slightly better. She watched as it pulled itself a little further out over Max's arms, looking at the Poffin case with evident interest. As it did so, Dawn had to stifle a gasp.

On Ralts's normally white shoulder, where the Shadow Ball had struck it, was a large, blotchy bruise, vibrant purple in colour. The Ralts winced as it pushed itself a little further, then retreated back against Max's chest. The young boy immediately looked down in concern.

Dawn took a breath, trying to calm herself. "Max, what kind of food does Ralts like?"

Max looked at her and thought for a second, pushing his glasses up. "Hmm. Well, she really loves Rawst berries. I always keep some with me."

Dawn smiled. She knew that Rawst berries were rather bitter. "Well, then, I know exactly what kind of Poffin Ralts will like." She reached into the case, and pulled out a small, bright green Poffin, which she handed to Ralts. The Feeling Pokemon slowly accepted the gift, sniffing it curiously. She took a small bite.

"Raalts!" she cried with a smile, and hungrily began stuffing the bitter treat into her mouth.

Max laughed. "She says she really likes it, and she wants to know if you have any more!"

Dawn looked at him in puzzlement. "You got all that? I've been traveling with Piplup for over a year, and I still sometimes have trouble understanding him." She pulled out three more Poffins, a blue, red, and yellow one. She handed each to Togekiss, Piplup, and Mamoswine respectively, all of whom began munching on their favourite flavours.

Max smiled as Ralts continued eating the Poffin, which was almost twice the size of her mouth. "Ralts is a Psychic type, and sometimes, if she really tries, or we really connect, I can hear her in my head." He tapped his ear.

Dawn looked at him in astonishment. "Wow, that amazing." She looked up at the sky, and noticed that the sun was starting to drift towards the horizon. "Hmm. Where is the next Pokemon Center, I wonder."

Max looked at her with worry. "I told you, it's not for another three miles."

Dawn turned and looked at him again. "In which direction?"

Max frowned, and shifted Ralts in his arms as he pulled something off of his belt. It was a small yellow object, almost twice as long as her Poketch. It slid open, and he looked critically at the small screen, turning one way, then another.

"That way." He gestured with the device off to her right. Dawn nodded.

"Well, since we aren't going to get any closer by just sitting here, and to be honest, your Pokemon aren't in any condition to battle, why don't we stay together for a while, at least until we reach the Pokemon Center. We'll keep going until the sun goes down, then we'll make camp. Deal?"

Max nodded, and Dawn returned Mamoswine to his Pokeball. She smiled as she watched the care with which he handled Ralts, and was reminded of the way that Ash treated Pikachu. It was obvious who he drew his inspiration from.

"But, right now, what do you say we get Ralts and Slakoth patched up for now. Okay?"

Max nodded again as Ralts finally finished the Poffin she had been given. He sat down, holding the child-like Pokemon as Dawn pulled a Potion out of her backpack. She handed it to him.

"Since you're her trainer, why don't you do it?" she suggested.

Max smiled as he took the spray bottle. "Ralts, can I see your shoulder? This going to sting a little, but it'll help you feel better."

Ralts tilted her head back to look at the bottle, then rolled onto her side, exposing the rather ugly bruise. She flinched as Max applied the spray, and pressed her mouth into Max's elbow to muffle a cry.

Dawn gave Max a sympathetic look. She knew that it wasn't easy to take care of Pokemon, especially when other trainers weren't quite so caring.

Togekiss fluttered over to the pair, looking at Ralts with worry. "Toooge?"

Ralts looked up at the Jubilee Pokemon, and smiled. "Ral, ralts."

Togekiss smiled in return, reached up, and patted Ralts's front horn. "Tokeeekiss."

Dawn smiled. Togekiss truly was the mother of the group. She watched as Max brought out his Slakoth, who was passed out. He carefully sprayed more of the potion on its various bruises, then patted its head to let it sleep off the battle.

After taking care of both of his Pokemon, and returning all of them to their Pokeballs, with the exception of Piplup and Ralts, they started walking together in the direction of the Pokemon Center.

"So Max, how exactly did you get Ralts as your partner? I'd heard that Hoenn had Treeko, Mudkip and Torchic for its starter Pokemon."

Max glanced over his shoulder at Ralts, who was holding onto his neck in a piggy-back ride. She had decided to mimic Slakoth and sleep. "While I was traveling with Ash, Brock, and my sister May, and Ash was competing in the Hoenn League, we met Ralts by accident. She had fallen in a lake, and had been telepathically crying out for help. I had heard her when no one else did, so I went looking for her. When I found her, she had managed to get out of the water, but she gotten pneumonia, and was really sick. So I decided to take care of her, and get her to a Pokemon Center. I wanted to show that I was old enough, and responsible enough, to take care of a Pokemon on my own."

He looked down at the ground. "It was a lot harder than I had thought. Team Rocket tried to steal her, and I had to go on my own while everyone else distracted them. Plus, I also had to deal with Ralts older brother Kirlia, and her mother Gardevoir. They kept trying to take her back, especially Kirlia. It wasn't until Ralts actually blocked Kirlia's Psychic with Safeguard that Gardevoir decided to trust me to take care of her."

Dawn nodded quietly. "And you got her to the Center?"

Max nodded, careful not to bump Ralts head. "Mm-hmm. Just in time, too. Nurse Joy said that if had been any later, she wouldn't have made it. After that, Ralts didn't want me to leave. We'd become friends while I was taking care of her. So I promised her that, when I became a trainer, I would come back for her." He looked over his shoulder again. "The longer I traveled, the more sure I was that I wanted Ralts to be my first Pokemon. It took a little while to convince my dad and Professor Birch, but I made it happen." He smiled. "We've been partners ever since."

Dawn smiled happily. "Piplup and I didn't always get along when we started out." She glanced up at the Penguin Pokemon, who was standing on her backpack while leaning against her head, after electing himself as look-out. "He's really proud, and I wasn't willing to admit that I didn't really know what I was doing. I mean, I knew that I wanted to become a coordinator, to be even better than my mother, but I didn't really know anything about the basics of catching and raising Pokemon." She smiled. "Ash was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. He taught me everything I needed to know, and was super patient." She giggled. "Although, in hindsight, I didn't make it easy for him, and we argued often. Sometimes I forgot that he had so much more experience than me."

Max nodded. "Ash taught May everything she knows too. And I learned a lot from him as well, just by watching him battle. I've never seen anyone as good as Ash."

Dawn glanced down at the ground. "I've met someone who came pretty close. That was an intense rivalry."

Max looked at her. "Paul, right? May told me about him."

Dawn nodded. "Almost every battle between Ash and Paul, Paul won. It wasn't until the Lily of the Valley League Conference that Ash finally managed to beat him."

Max nodded. "I watched that battle. It was amazing. His Infernape was incredible, especially when that Blaze started up."

Dawn smiled slightly. She could remember all the time Ash had spent training with Infernape, and all his Pokemon. He had been so determined, so fired up to beat Paul. "Everything that Ash had done in Sinnoh had been dedicated to beating Paul. And we were both so happy when he finally won."

Max suddenly turned to her. "So, how did you meet Ash? Did Pikachu destroy your bike too?"

Dawn laughed. "Actually, yes, but Ash didn't have anything to do with it. In fact, I actually met Pikachu before I met Ash."

Max looked at her in confusion. "What? How did that happen?"

Dawn smiled. "I'll give you three guesses as to the reason."

Max rolled his eyes. "Oh, Team Rocket. Jesse, James, and Meowth, right?"

Dawn nodded. "Pikachu had gotten injured trying to get away, and they got separated. Piplup and I ran into him accidentally, and I made the mistake of trying to catch him."

Max stopped and stared at her. "You tried to catch Pikachu?"

Dawn smiled sheepishly. "In my defense, I didn't know that Pikachu belonged to Ash until the Pokeball didn't work. Thankfully, Pikachu took it rather well, and I helped him reunite with Ash. It didn't work out like I planned though."

Max frowned at her. "Why not?"

Dawn sighed. "It involved a lot of running, and eventually, Team Rocket managed to grab Pikachu from me. I didn't know what to do, Piplup and I couldn't do anything against their machine."

Max chuckled. "Yeah, they're kinda famous for that."

Dawn smiled and nodded. "Any way, they were about to escape with Pikachu, and this Aipom jumped out of a tree and attacked them."

Max smiled. "May told me that Aipom had stowed away with Ash. Good thing, huh?"

Dawn laughed. "Yeah. Anyway, Aipom managed to break Pikachu free, and that's when I met Ash. The idiot actually climbed up the robot, as it was on the verge of blowing up, to get Pikachu back."

Max nodded. "That's Ash. He'll do anything for Pikachu, especially when they get separated."

Dawn paused. "Then the robot really did explode. For a moment, I didn't even know if they survived."

The thought made Dawn shiver inside, considering how she felt about him now. Back then, she had been afraid, yes, but she had been afraid for a stranger. Now, now that she knew that she loved him, the memory inspired a new kind of fear.

Max looked at her curiously, and even Ralts lifted her head, awakened by Dawn's suddenly turbulent emotions.

"Ralts?"

Dawn shook herself. "But, as you can probably guess, they did survive, and not much worse for wear either. I guess those two are really lucky."

Max smiled, and Ralts laid her head back down, though she still kept her eye on the older girl. The Emotion Pokemon could feel something going on inside her, but she wasn't sure what.

"Yeah. Ash and Pikachu got into a lot of crazy stuff."

Dawn laughed. "Oh, you don't need to tell me. What is it about that boy that attracts legendary trouble?"

Max also laughed. "I don't know, but you can at least be sure that things never get boring around him."

Dawn smiled, then glanced up at the sky. "It's getting late. We should probably make camp, and see if we can reach the Pokemon Center tomorrow. Deal?"

Max held out his hand. "Deal."

They shook hands, then laughed. They moved soon found a small clearing in the woods. Max unrolled his sleeping bag while Dawn and Piplup set up her tent. He looked at her in confusion.

"Why do you use a tent? Don't you like seeing the stars?"

Dawn smiled as she unzipped the tent door. "Well, what if it starts raining tonight?"

Max looked up at the sky. It had faded to a deep red colour, but it was completely clear of clouds. "The weather doesn't change that quickly on the western side of Hoenn, and we're nowhere near Mt. Chimney. I think we'll be fine."

Dawn sighed. "I just, prefer to sleep in a tent, okay?"

Max shrugged. "Alright. Fine by me."

Max and Ralts slipped into his sleeping bag, and Dawn ducked into her tent, laying out her own sleeping bag.

Once she had everything ready, she poked her head out of her tent. She smiled as she saw that Max and Ralts were fast asleep.

Slipping out of her tent, she sat down and gazed up at the sky, watching as it faded from red, to deep blue, to violet, then total darkness, perforated with tiny points of starlight.

Dawn sighed. "I know I said that was coming to see you, Ash, but I think it's going to take me longer than I planned. I just need to help your friend, and then, I swear, I'll find you. Good night Ash."

She continued to gaze up at the sky for a moment as the moon crested the tree line. "I love you." she whispered softly, then slipped into her tent.

Mere feet away, Ralts listened quietly, then closed her eyes.

_Uggh, why must my urge to write conflict with diplomas? Sorry for taking a while to finish this, and I apologize in advance for however long it takes me to do the next segment. Anyone who watched the end of Battle Frontier saga can guess why I choose to bring Max into this. Besides, I was interested as to how those two might get along. _

_I'm thinking that, about another two chapters from Dawn's perspective will bring her to Unova, but no guarantees. I can't predict where my chaotic mind will take me, so stay tuned! Also, since my thoughts are focused elsewhere, I am accepting suggestions for chapter titles, so please, engage yourselves!_


	4. Chapter 4

_ There is no rest for the weary, be it in body, mind or heart. The same fire that drives us to greatness can drive us to insanity. Where will the flame drive Ash too? Time can only tell..._

"Use Rock Smash!"

"You use Rock Smash too, Excadrill!"

Ash braced himself against the shockwave from the two powerful blows. It had been a fierce battle already. Oshawott's courageous duel with Krokorok and eventual overpowering at the nonexistent hands of Palpitoad, Snivy's effortless victory and then crushing defeat beneath the iron claws of Excadrill, had come down to this.

His idea with Roggenrola had been sound. He knew that Roggenrola's sole rock type would be doubly vulnerable to Excadrill's dual ground and steel type. He had seen exactly how powerful and formidable the old Subterrene Pokemon truly was. He knew that this last battle was going to be difficult.

He also knew that Roggenrola's defences and endurance were just as strong. He knew that Roggenrola would never give up in the face of such a powerful opponent. He knew, and trusted, that the Mantle Pokemon would pull through.

He had guessed that Roggenrola would get thrown around a bit, but he hadn't thought that it would be so bad. Excadrill had wiped the floor with Roggenrola, but he still got back up.

And neither he nor Clay had expected that Roggenrola's response to Excadrill's Horn Drill would be to evolve into Boldore, nor that he would learn new moves in the process.

Evolution had proved to be the tipping point that Ash had needed. After beating back Excadrill with Rock Blast, they were now engaged in a battle of wills. Ash could see that their power was evenly matched.

"Come on, Ash! You can do it!" Iris yelled.

"Stay strong, Boldore!" Cilan shouted.

"Pika pika!" (Hang in there!) Pikachu added.

Ash stared at the flashing crystals on Boldore's back, pulsating with new energy. _Come on, Boldore. Don't give up on me. I know you're strong. We can pull through this. All you have to do is PUSH!_

Finally, after almost a minute of stalemate, Excadrill winced. With an angry, triumphant cry, Boldore pushed his spike-like leg passed Excadrill's claws, and brought it down on his opponent's head.

The blow was so powerful, Excadrill was smashed into the ground. Boldore remained standing, then stepped back, revealing an utterly dazed Excadrill.

"Excadrill is unable to battle, Boldore wins, which means Ash is the victor!" The referee called out, raising his left hand towards Ash.

Ash stared for a moment, then pumped his fist. "Alright!"

He happily hugged his newly evolved Pokemon, then shouted in surprise when Boldore jumped on him. As he laughed, a part of him couldn't help feeling a little sad, though he didn't know why.

Much later that day, Ash found himself once again gazing up at the sky, watching the changing colours as the sun lowered in the sky, a considerable contrast to the brightly lit tunnels of Clay's underground battlefield. Pikachu had chosen to take a nap next to him, while his other Pokemon rested around the campsite.

He glanced back at them. Snivy, as usual, had chosen to sit a part from the group, taking her place on a low branch of a nearby tree. She had easily reconciled herself with her defeat by Excadrill, having a clear understanding of just how powerful the Subterrene Pokemon had been.

Oshawott was practicing with his scalchop. He had been satisfied with beating Krokorok, though he had been irritated with himself for how easily he had fallen to Palpitoad. Thankfully, he had been happy to learn how easily Palpitoad, in turn, had been thrashed by Snivy.

Tepig was still eating. He had understood why Ash had not chosen to include him in the battle, and was eagerly anticipating the next battle that he could fight in.

Scraggy was fighting against Boldore, though it was entirely one-sided. Boldore was simply sitting in the sun, absorbing the light with his crystals to add it to his core. He barely moved as Scraggy repeatedly used Headbutt, and didn't notice at all when he used Leer.

Ash chuckled. It was kind of hard to notice a Leer when you didn't have eyes, as he had been surprised to learn from Cilan.

Turning back to look up at the faint wisps of cloud in the sky, he sighed. He had enjoyed his victory, of course. It was always satisfying to win a Gym battle.

But, there was something different about this one, like something was missing. It felt, hollow. He looked down sadly at Pikachu, curled up next his foot, snoozing peacefully.

"What is going on, Pikachu? I can't even feel good about winning a Gym battle anymore. I only train to make everyone better, not because I enjoy it. I've never been like this, not since I lost to Paul, and even then, I bounced back from it. So what's wrong with me now? What's changed?"

Pikachu made no response, merely continuing to sleep. He smiled. Pikachu never had such worries. He was always ready to battle, to help, but he never worried, except when someone was in trouble. Pikachu was the ultimate optimist.

Ash smiled. _Kind of like I used to be._ It confused him to no end, and he hated being confused.

Sighing, he climbed to his feet and started walking, going nowhere in particular. He was wrapped up in his thoughts, discarding one after another, growing more despondent with each that he left behind.

But each new thought that came into his head brought with it memories, some happy, some sad. Each new thought brought Dawn back into his mind.

_Why do I keep thinking about her? We're friends, yeah. I've got others. Brock, Misty, Richie, May, Max, Morrison, Barry, Tracy, Gary. They've never been like this. Is it because I worry about her? She's 16, she can take care of herself. I got into more trouble than she did, and she never worried about me like this._

He paused. _Or if she did, she never told me._

He grimaced, then lashed out and slammed his fist into a nearby tree out of frustration. "Arrgh, what is wrong with me!"

"Nothing."

Ash whirled around to find Cilan standing a few feet away. "Cilan! I didn't hear you coming."

Cilan nodded. "Let me guess, you're thinking about Dawn, aren't you."

Ash looked at him, then turned off to the side. "I don't know why. I've never had this problem before, and it's messing up everything. I can't focus on training properly, and that's not fair to my Pokemon. I can't figure out what's wrong."

Cilan smiled at his friend. "Ash, nothing is wrong with you. You miss your friend. That's normal."

Ash grunted, unconvinced. "I've never missed anyone like this. I traveled with Misty for three years, and I don't miss her like this. I traveled with May for two years, and I don't miss her like this. So what's different?"

Cilan's smile grew sad. "I can't tell you that, Ash. You know her better than I do. You tell me."

Ash leaned against the tree he had punched, massaging his knuckles. He remained silent.

They stood like that for several minutes, Cilan waiting patiently, Ash absorbed in his thoughts. Finally, Cilan spoke again.

"Describe her for me."

Ash blinked and looked at him. "What?"

Cilan leaned against a tree of his own. "Tell me what she looks like."

Ash hesitated, then sighed. "She's the same height as me, and her skin is a bit lighter than mine." He paused. It wasn't that he couldn't remember what she looked like, her image was fixated in his mind, he just didn't know what details to put first. "She's got blue hair that she's kind of obsessed with. She refuses to let anyone see her in the morning until she brushes it just right. It normally comes down to her chest, but she has these gold triangular hair clips to keep it up, so it's usually a couple inches below her shoulders."

He turned his face towards the sky. "She's got these blue eyes that you can get lost in. They're so dark, almost like the sky just before the sun turns it orange. They're really beautiful."

He sighed again. "She wears a black armless shirt with a pink mini-skirt. She also has this white beanie hat with a pink Pokeball design on it. She always wears these pink boots, almost like snow boots, and she never takes her pink Poketch off, or her black bracelet. She wears a red scarf tied around her neck."

He suddenly chuckled, causing Cilan to look at him curiously. "She keeps more clothes with her than anyone else I've ever met. First off, there is her contest dress, but she has to keep that with her to compete. Then there's her cheerleading outfit, which I have no idea where she got it from, that she usually wears when I have a really important battle. She did different routines every time. Her mother, Johanna, also sent her a red snow jacket and a bigger, white scarf when we were heading up to Snowpoint City. She carries all of it in her yellow backpack. Sometimes, I wonder how she can manage to even carry it, she has so much stuff in it."

His face took on a more serious look, but he was still smiling. "She never runs out of confidence. She's absolutely determined to become Top Coordinator, and she's always thinking about new combinations, new ways to show off her Pokemon. She's always optimistic, and is always ready to laugh or cheer someone else up. She's the best friend you could ever have."

Cilan listened quietly. He had never heard someone describe a person so completely, and with such fondness in their voice. _She must have been really something to make an impression like that on him_, he thought. "Ash, why don't you call her?"

It took Ash a couple seconds to respond, then he jerked his head. "What?"

Cilan smiled. "Call her, Ash. There is a unique flavour that runs in this recipe, one that runs much deeper than I think either of you realize. Call her, see what she's doing. Talk. Perhaps that will give you some incite into your thoughts."

Ash looked at his friend, pondering his words. "Maybe later. It's kind of late now, and besides, we're starting out to Mistralton City tomorrow."

Cilan laid a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Call her tomorrow morning. It'll only take a few minutes."

Ash shrugged off his hand. "What about Iris? You know how impatient she can get, I won't hear the end of it if she knows that I'm calling Dawn."

Cilan chuckled. "I'll tell her I sent you to grab some things for me. She'll wait."

Ash turned and looked at the darkening sky again. Cilan patted his friend's shoulder, then walked back towards the camp.

"She was the only one who asked."

Cilan paused, and turned back towards Ash, who hadn't moved. "What?"

"She was the only girl who asked to travel with me. Misty, May, they both guilted me into letting them come with me because Pikachu destroyed their bikes, though they both did forgive me eventually, May sooner than Misty. Iris, well, you know, kind of invited herself."

He looked down at the ground. "But Dawn actually asked me if she could come with me. She figured that Brock and I knew what we were doing, and she wanted to learn from us. She forgave me right away after Pikachu destroyed her bike, even though I wasn't even there when it happened. She was..." he paused, "...different. Is that weird?" He turned and looked at Cilan, who could see the real questions in his brown eyes.

Cilan smiled. "No, Ash. That's not weird at all."

He left the teen standing alone to ponder his thoughts.

The next morning, Ash stood in front of a video phone, anxiously shifting his weight from one foot to another. Pikachu was perched on his shoulder, as usual, wondering why they had come back to the Pokemon Center.

Finally, Ash sighed. "Might as well get it over with." He pulled the folded up photograph from the inside pocket of his hoodie, and punched in the number written on the back. As he waited for the phone to dial, he took one quick look at the photo, then slipped it back inside his hoodie.

The screen flickered, and a dark haired older woman appeared on the screen.

"Hello?" Her eyes widened slightly, and she smiled. "Ash, what a surprise!"

Ash smiled. "Hi, Ms. Berlitz."

She laughed. "Please, I've told you, call me Johanna."

His smile turned slightly sheepish. Pikachu leaned forward off of his shoulder. "Pika pika!" (Hi Johanna!)

Johanna smiled at the Mouse Pokemon. "Hello, Pikachu. How are you both?"

Ash grinned. "We're doing good. Um," his grin turned serious, "is Dawn around? I was wondering if I could talk to her."

Johanna's smile vanished, and Ash's heart plummeted. "I'm sorry, Ash, but Dawn left a few weeks ago for the Hoenn Region, after Buneary's Pokemodeling article wrapped up. I haven't heard much from her since."

Ash slumped over slightly, and Pikachu gave him a worried look. _She could be anywhere by now._ "That's okay. I kinda figured she wouldn't be home."

Johanna looked at him kindly. "If she does call, would you like me to tell her that you called?"

Ash smiled weakly. "Yeah, that'd be great. Tell her that Unova's awesome, and that I hope her journey's going great. Thanks."

He cut the connection. He hated saying good-bye.

He slowly walked out of the Pokemon Center to where Cilan and Iris were waiting. Iris was hopping from one foot to the other impatiently, while Cilan stood calmly next to her. Axew sat on the ground next to his trainer, watching her eager dance.

Cilan noticed Ash approaching from the corner of his eye, and turned to greet him. "Ah, Ash, did they have what I was looking for?"

For a second, Ash looked despondent, then he fixed a smile on his face. "Nah, they were all out."

Cilan frowned. He guessed that the call hadn't gone well. "I see. Well, that's too bad. Maybe I'll find some in the next town we come across."

Ash nodded. "Maybe. Well, we should get going. I've got my next Gym Badge to win."

Iris jumped impatiently. "Finally. For someone eager to get his Gym Badge, you sure are slow. Lets go already." She reached down to get Axew, who climbed up her arm and into her hair.

Ash chuckled as the group left Driftveil City, heading north. As they crested the hill, Ash paused to look back at the city, his eyes zeroing in on Pokemon Center. He gazed at it for a couple seconds, then sighed and turned back towards the path.

"Race you to Mistralton!" He shouted as he took off. Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and hit the ground running, Iris and Cilan in hot pursuit.

_Awww, Ash didn't get a chance to talk to Dawn. Soon, I promise. I don't excarberate misery for nothing. And I apologize for the shorter chapter. I have less ideas of what to do with Ash than I do with Dawn, but things should improve once our two lost loves reunite and merge their flames. Make of that what you will._


	5. Chapter 5

_ Conflict. Fighting is all that life is about, a mad scramble of pushing and shoving for survival. And when one push strives us in one direction, what can we do? We either let ourselves get carried away on down the river, or we fight the current till we find where we want to go..._

"Piplup, Bubblebeam!"

"Lairon, Iron Head!"

Piplup puffed out his chest and shot a strong barrage of bubbles towards his armoured opponent. The Lairon bellowed as the super-effective attack battered his head, then charged straight into it, his body becoming enveloped in silver light.

Dawn tensed. This move required perfect timing to pull off correctly. Piplup waited patiently and alertly, knowing exactly what Dawn was waiting for, confident that she wouldn't fail.

The ground shook as the heavy Iron Armor Pokemon pounded towards the much smaller Penguin Pokemon. Dawn stared at the glittering silver field surrounding the Lairon, waiting.

_If I can just time this right...NOW! "_Piplup, clockwise Spin Dodge!"

Piplup lunged forward and to the left, lining up his body parallel to the ground as he threw himself into a spin. The Lairon rushed past a hair's breadth away, the narrow miss making Max take an anxious breath.

To the amazement of both Max and the hiker who owned the Lairon, silver tendrils curved away from the field of light surrounded Lairon, wrapping around Piplup as he spun, attaching themselves to the small cape that was a part of his body. With practiced ease, Piplup rotated around and landed gracefully on his feet. The flowing tendrils of light flickered from his cape.

Dawn smiled. "Piplup, Drill Peck!"

The hiker opposite her laughed. "You're kidding, right? A flying type attack against a rock/steel type like my Lairon? That has got to be the worst move in history. Lairon, Iron Defense."

The Lairon braced itself, it's body taking on a shiny metallic sheen as it hardened. It bared its teeth and growled, his blue eyes daring Piplup to break his formidable defences.

A challenge that Piplup was all too happy to accept. Jumping forward again, his beak glowed and doubled in length as he threw himself into another spin. This time, however, was different. The silver tendrils attached to his cape wrapped around him as he flew forward, forming bright rings. The rings contracted as Piplup spun faster, until they merged with his body, covering him in his own metallic armour, turning his Drill Peck into an Iron Drill Peck.

The hiker merely continued to grin, confident that no physical attack that this tiny water type could throw at him would break his Lairon's thick hide. Dawn had equal faith in her partner's abilities, especially now that she knew that her signature Spin Dodge had worked again.

The furiously spinning Piplup slammed into Lairon's head, causing a bright shower of sparks to fly as metal grated against metal.

The attack continued for several seconds, and finally Piplup began to slow down, falling to his feet as the metallic armour on his body dissipated. The Lairon huffed in his face. The attack had failed to leave even a scratch.

The hiker laughed again. "I told you that wouldn't work. Time to finish this. Lairon, Metal Claw."

Dawn simply grinned as the Lairon, with a powerful shove, pushed itself onto its hind legs, the claws on its right foot glowing brightly. "We've got him right where we want him, Piplup. Hydro Pump!"

The hiker's eyes widened as he realized that Lairon was wide open to the special water type attack, which was one of the most powerful known. "Oh, shit!"

Piplup opened his beak, and a single bubble floated out. It rippled as it expanded into a small, swirling vortex of water, nearly the size of Piplup's own head. A powerful blast of water erupted from the vortex, slamming into the surprised Lairon's exposed stomach. He was carried backwards by the attack, smashing through three boulders and carving a deep trench through the ground before the column of water finally dissipated.

The hiker rushed over to his fallen partner. "No!" A quick examination revealed that the Lairon had been completely winded, and a dent the size of his own head had been punched in the armour on his belly. Judging by the dazed look in his eyes, Lairon had had enough.

The hiker sighed and hung his head. "I give. You win. Return, Lairon, you fought as hard as you could." He held out his Pokeball, and a red beam of light absorbed Lairon. He remained crouched for a moment, then got to his feet and offered Dawn his hand.

"Ha ha! That was great. You, lady, are good. And that Piplup of yours packs a heck of a wallop. I enjoyed that."

Dawn smiled as she picked up Piplup and shook his hand. "Thank you. Your Lairon was really strong too."

The hiker eyed her. "You, eh, haven't considered competing in the Ever Grande League, have you? You would be a formidable battler."

Dawn shook her head. "No, contests are my thing. Is your Lairon okay?"

The hiker shrugged. "He'll be fine. He's a tough old sod, it's nothing that Nurse Joy can't patch up." He jerked his thumb towards the Pokemon Center. "In fact, I think he'll be rather proud of that dent." He glanced up at the sky as he planted his hands on his hips. "Well, I should get going. Those mountains won't hike themselves."

Dawn smiled as the hiker walked back into the Pokemon Center, and Max ran up to her.

"Wow, Dawn, that was great. That Spin Dodge is really neat, and the way you used it to boost Piplup's Drill Peck was awesome. I think you would be really good at Gym battles."

Dawn rubbed her head sheepishly. "Truth is, I did do a Gym battle once, but that was more to help the Leader in question have faith in herself. I lost, but I had fun doing it. But like I said, Pokemon contests are my thing. They're what I'm best at. Besides, they're what my Pokemon love doing." She smiled as she hugged her partner. "Right Piplup?"

Piplup nodded his head proudly. "Piplup." (Of course)

Max smiled as Ralts wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "That's great." He turned his head to look at his partner, who peered at him from under the edge of her hair. "Ralts and Slakoth are doing good, but I'm hoping that I'll be able to catch some new Pokemon for when I go up against Brawly."

Dawn smiled at him. "Brawly uses fighting type Pokemon, right?"

Max nodded. "Ralts should be able to handle his Hariyama with the type advantage, but I heard that he's recently added a Medicham to his team, which will be harder for Ralts to deal with."

He looked at her curiously. "So, Dawn, what are you going to do? You had said that you were taking a break from contests."

Dawn nodded. "Well, I've actually been planning on leaving Hoenn for a bit, to go find an old friend."

Max looked at her with interest. "Oh? Who?"

Dawn blushed slightly. "Ash, actually. There's some...things...I need to talk to him about. In person."

Max gave her an odd look. "Well, good luck with that. Knowing Ash, he could be anywhere."

Dawn nodded, hoping that her blush wasn't quite as bright as it felt. "That's why I'm going to call his mom, Delia. If anyone knows where Ash has gone, it would be her." She turned and headed inside the Pokemon Center.

Max followed her with his eyes. _That was weird._

_ She feels strongly for him._

Max turned and looked at his partner again, who had closed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

_I feel emotions, Max. They are the source of my strength. Her emotions are very strong, strongest when she speaks of Ash. But they are strange, and I have no word for them. The last time I felt emotions like hers, are when we saw your mother and father._

Max sat down on a nearby bench. "Of course you did. Mom and Dad love each...wait, are you saying that Dawn loves Ash?"

Ralts opened her eyes, staring at the boy that she had chosen to be her partner. _I do not know what love is. Love is a human word. I do know that her emotions are very strong, possibly stronger than those of your parents._

Max considered it. "Mom and Dad love each other, so love would be the emotions you felt between them. And if you feel the same thing in Dawn when she thinks about Ash..."

Ralts shifted her gaze to the Pokemon Center, where she could faintly feel Dawn's disappointment. _Then she does love him a lot._

Dawn sighed as she hung up the phone. Nobody had answered the phone when she had called, which meant that Delia wasn't home.

Picking up the phone again, she dialled a number that she knew very well. After a few moments, the screen flickered, and her mother appeared.

"Dawn! It's great to hear from you again."

Dawn smiled. "Hi Mom. How are you?"

Johanna smiled back at her daughter. "I'm doing just fine. How about you? Are your contests going well?"

Dawn rubbed the back of her head. "I've actually been in a bit of a slump recently. I haven't been able to concentrate real well."

Johanna's expression turned sad. "Oh, that's too bad. Are you still traveling alone?"

Dawn smiled. "Kinda. You remember May?"

Johanna nodded.

"Well, I actually ran into her brother recently. He had been having trouble with some other group from Team Rocket, so I was travelling with him until we got to the Pokemon Center here."

Johanna frowned angrily. "Team Rocket again? First Sinnoh, now they're moving into Hoenn?"

Dawn laughed. "Actually, from what Ash said, they came to Hoenn first, then into Sinnoh."

Johanna continued to frown for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Oh, speaking of Ash, I spoke to him not too long ago."

Dawn's heart thumped in her chest. "You talked to Ash?"

Her mother nodded. "Yes, he called a few days ago, wanting to talk to you."

Dawn swallowed, suddenly nervous. "Did he say what about?"

Johanna shook her head. "No, he didn't, and I had to tell him that you weren't here. He did tell me to pass a message onto you, though."

Again, Dawn's heart made a valiant effort to break out from behind her ribs. "What did he say?"

"He said that he hoped your journey was going well, and that he was enjoying his time in Unova."

Dawn froze at her mother's words. _Unova?_

Johanna looked at her daughter strangely. "Dawn, are you alright?"

Dawn shook herself. "Yeah, I'm fine. No need to worry, Mom. Um, I need to check something. Talk to you later, bye!" She hurriedly hung up the phone, ending the call.

Johanna stared at the dark screen for a moment, then smiled.

"Well, she's certainly going somewhere. Hmm, I wonder..."

Dawn stared at the screen, her eyes wide. "Unova. Ash is in Unova." she whispered. _Wait, where is that anyway?_

Turning, she hurried to the counter, Piplup rushing after her. "Excuse me, Nurse Joy?"

The pretty older nurse turned towards her. "Yes, can I help you?" she answered with a smile.

Dawn smiled back. "Yes, I was wondering if you could tell me where the Unova region is?"

Nurse Joy frowned at her. "The Unova region? I'm sorry, but I've never heard of it."

Dawn's heart crashed into her stomach, then quickly bounced back into her chest. "Oh, that's okay. Thanks anyways."

She hurried back to the video-phone booth and punched in another number. Piplup stared at her, now convinced that his partner had quite lost her mind.

Dawn waited impatiently for the connection to go through. Finally, the image of an older man with a stern face appeared on the screen.

"Ah, Dawn. How nice to see you again. I trust that everything is going well for you."

Dawn nodded. "Hi Professor Rowan. Yeah, everything's going great. Um, I have a question. You haven't heard of a place called the Unova region, have you?"

To her surprise and barely concealed joy, the Professor nodded. "Yes, actually, I have. The Unova region is a region far to the east of Sinnoh. They've only recently began communicating with the other regions, mostly due to their isolation. My colleague, Professor Oak, travelled there only a month ago."

Dawn nodded. _So, the poet guy went to the Unova region. He takes care of Ash's Pokemon, so Ash probably left at about the same time._

The older professor continued. "According to him, Unova's Pokemon are entirely unique to the region, having no species in common with the other regions. Not surprising, given how far away they are."

That clinched it in Dawn's mind. Ash would never give up the opportunity to see new Pokemon. "How far away is it?"

Professor Rowan glanced off to the side. "Adam, I need those Pokemon ready in the next hour. The new trainer will be here soon! Sorry, Dawn. Unova is to the east of us, across the ocean. In fact, it is so far, that it takes weeks to get there by boat. The only other way to get there is by plane, and even then, the flight takes approximately two days."

Dawn stared at him. "Two days?" _Geez, Ash, how far do you need to go? _

The older professor nodded. "Indeed. Are you planning on visiting Unova, Dawn?"

Dawn quickly recovered. "Um, yes, actually I might be."

The professor grunted. "Hmm. According to my colleague, and the messages that I have received from Unova's regional professor, Professor Juniper, Unova doesn't have any contests. Though I don't doubt that getting a Pokemon not ever seen before would give you an edge. If you do decide to travel there, do make sure that you bump into Cynthia will you are there."

Dawn blinked. "Cynthia? Why would she be going to Unova?"

Professor Rowan chuckled quietly. "As part of their efforts to promote good relations with the other regions, Unova is hosting a World Juniors Pokemon Tournament. Cynthia, as the Sinnoh League's Pokemon Champion, will be our official representative."

Dawn smiled. She knew exactly what Ash would be doing once he found out. "Wow, that's awesome. I might enter that myself, show the Unovan's how a Coordinator from Sinnoh battles"

Professor Rowan smiled approvingly at her. "Perhaps you will. In any case, I have a new trainer coming soon, so I must get things ready for them. I wish you good luck Dawn." The screen went black as the professor hung up.

Dawn smiled as she put the phone back. It had been a long time since she felt this energetic, for more than one reason. She turned and knelt in front of her partner. "Well, Piplup. Ash is in Unova, so that's where I'm going. Care to join me?"

Piplup cheered. "Piplup, pip pip piplup!" (just try and stop me!)

Dawn laughed as she picked him up in her arms and hurried out of the Pokemon Center. She noticed Max sitting on a bench nearby. "Hey Max!"

Max smiled. "Hey Dawn. Did you find out where Ash is?"

Dawn nodded happily. "I did actually. He's in some place called the Unova region, which is really far away. You have to fly there, so I need to find an airport."

Max pulled out his Pokenav, which he had explained to her earlier. "Hmm, there's actually an airport not far from Slateport."

Dawn was on the verge of jumping in excitement. "Than I guess I had better get moving." She turned away.

"Wait, Dawn?"

She turned back to him. "Yeah Max?"

The younger boy looked at her with hopeful eyes. "You want to get to Unova as soon as you can, right?"

She looked at him strangely. "Yes, why?"

Max jumped to his feet, Ralts raising her head. "Well, Ralts and I passed through Slateport on our way to Rustboro City, after we met up again. Soooo, if you want, Ralts and I could teleport you there."

Dawn looked at him, then smiled happily. "Could you?" Her expression quickly turned worried. "Are you sure Ralts is strong enough to do that? Slateport is a long way from here."

Max turned and looked at his partner, who looked back at him.

"Ral, ralts."

Max nodded. "She's sure. But there's one condition."

Dawn frowned at him. "What's that?"

Max grabbed her arm. "We want to come with you to Unova."

This turn of events startled her. "You want to come with me? Max, you just started your journey here in Hoenn."

Max nodded eagerly. "I know. But I heard Professor Birch talking about Unova, about how there are a Pokemon there that can't be found anywhere else. There might be one there that could give me an edge over Brawly. It would put a serious hitch in his strategy to have to fight a Pokemon he's never seen before." His expression turned serious. "Besides, when Ash, Brock, May and I parted ways in Kanto, Ash promised me that when I became a trainer, we would have a battle, me and him. Now's my chance to have that battle. I'm not passing that up, and neither is Ralts."

Ralts nodded her head. "Ralts."

Dawn looked at him, unsure. It wasn't fair that he should travel to another country so soon after starting his journey, but she could see that he was absolutely determined. "Okay, but you at least have to tell your parents where you're going. They deserve to know."

Max broke into a smile, and quickly nodded. "Of course. It's not like I wasn't going to." He turned and hurried into the Pokemon Center, Dawn following slowly.

She sighed. "Mesprit, please tell me I'm doing the right thing here."

Several minutes later, after a long argument with May, who had been talking to her parents when Max had called, he had finally managed to convince them to let him go to Unova. Almost all of the objection came from May, who had been only a little mollified when she had found out that he would be travelling with Dawn, and that they were planning on meeting up with Ash. The argument had been sealed when Max had stated that he had called to let them know his plans, not to ask their permission. After that, May had grudgingly decided that she wasn't going to stop him. The fact that she was over in Johto, and thus in no position to try, probably had a great deal to do with that.

May sighed. "Max, I'm just worried about you, that's all. Unova is a long way from home."

Max smiled. "And so was Kanto when we left to meet up with Ash again, May."

May giggled. "Yeah, but I was with you that time. I won't be there now."

Dawn leaned over. "Relax, May. No need to worry. He's got Ralts and Slakoth, and I'll be there too. Besides, we'll be with Ash eventually, whose probably got some other friends he's made along the way. It'll be fine."

May sighed again. "Okay, fine. But Max, be careful." Her expression turned serious. "And make sure you catch a Pokemon while you're there! Because you and I will be having a battle when you get back, and you better have something new for me to fight!"

Max grinned. "You can count on that, May. And this time, I'll win."

Both siblings stared each other down, then May ended her end of the call. Norman, Max's father, laughed.

"Well Max, looks you and May have your fighting spirits up and running. I look forward to hearing about your travels, and seeing what new Pokemon you bring back." He glanced off to the side. "That would be my gym assistant calling for me. Sounds like I have another challenger. Take care of yourself, okay Max?"

Max nodded and waved to his father. "Don't worry about me, Dad. Between Ralts and me, nothing can go wrong. Bye!"

Norman simply chuckled as the screen went dark. Max pumped his fist as the pair left the Pokemon Center. "Yes! I can't wait to show Ash how strong Ralts and I am. I wonder what Pokemon he's gotten already. This is going to be awesome!"

Dawn laughed. "Slow down. First we have to get there, and then we need to find Ash. He could be anywhere in Unova."

Max shrugged. "Knowing Ash, he's probably challenging Gyms. And he's definitely got Pikachu with him, which aren't normally found in Unova, so we're guaranteed to find somebody who's heard of him. It's kind of hard for somebody like Pikachu to go unnoticed in a place like Unova."

Dawn smiled. Despite her words, she was optimistic as well. "Still, we need to get there first. So lets hurry up and get to Slateport City!"

Max nodded. "Right. Before Ralts can teleport you, she needs to get to know you."

He crouched down, and Ralts slid to the ground from his backpack. Dawn frowned. "Get to know me?"

He nodded. "Mm-hmm. It'll make it easier. You just need to touch your forehead to Ralts' front horn, so that she can get to know your mind. I did it the first time we teleported together."

Dawn looked down at Piplup, who looked up at her and shrugged. Dawn smiled. "Alright." Setting Piplup down, she crouched in front of Ralts, whose eyes were obscured by her helmet-like hair. She pulled her beanie off, lowered her head, and closed her eyes. Ralts shuffled forwards until the red horn projecting from her head touched against Dawn's forehead. The hard appendage was smooth and warm to the touch.

A soft, feminine voice suddenly spoke in Dawn's mind. _You care about Ash._

Dawn took a short, sharp breath. _Ralts?_

_Max says you love him. Is that true? Please don't lie. I don't like lies. Lies are bad. Lies make me cold._

Piplup looked at Dawn curiously, who was suddenly frowning. "Piplup?" (Dawn?)

Dawn thought for a moment. _Yes, I love Ash. With all my heart._

She felt a brief sense of happiness, and Ralts' horn seemed to grow a little warmer. _Love is good. Love makes me warm and strong. Please tell him. I think it will make him happy._

Ralts pulled back, and Max picked her up in his arms. Dawn remained crouched for a moment, then slowly got to her feet. She stared at Max uncertainly.

"Ralts didn't need to get to know my mind in order to teleport me, did she." Dawn said quietly.

Max swallowed and nodded. "Ralts had been listening that night, after we met, and sensed your emotions. She told me while you were inside. I just wanted to know. I'm sorry, please don't be mad."

Dawn sighed and picked up Piplup. "It's true, I love Ash. The only thing that I love more than Ash is my Pokemon. And I'm going to see him so that I can tell him that I love him. I'm not mad at you Max, or you, Ralts. But I do ask that you never do that again." she said quietly.

Max nodded. "We promise."

Dawn took a breath and wiped her eyes. "Now, how is Ralts going to teleport us?"

Max smiled cautiously. "It would be easier if Piplup was in his Pokeball."

Dawn looked down at her partner, who shook his head vigorously. "Piplup prefers stay outside, like Ralts does."

Max nodded and looked at his partner. "Okay, that should still work."

Ralts climbed up onto his shoulder, then leaned over and held out her arm. "Take her hand, hold Piplup close, and close your eyes." Max told her.

Dawn did as he asked, pressing Piplup close to her chest. Ralts' small hand was warm in her palm.

"This is going to feel really weird at first."

Dawn was suddenly hit a slight sense of vertigo, and her body didn't seem to be able to move. Just as quickly as it came it was replaced with a rushing sensation, and then that too disappeared. She could move again, and she swayed slightly. She immediately noticed the change in the air, turning from the soft, leafy scent of the forest air to the crisp saltiness of the ocean breeze.

"You can open your eyes now." Max's voice sounded slightly shaky.

Dawn opened her eyes, and saw the bustling crowd of the Slateport Market. She had been there only a couple weeks before, trying to pull herself together for a contest. She hadn't succeeded, and had failed miserably.

She let out a breath. "Whew. That wasn't as bad as last time." She turned to Max and smiled.

Max frowned as Ralts leaned against his head, her breathing slightly faster. "You've teleported before?"

Dawn nodded. "Long story. I might tell you some time. But right now, we need to find that airport."

"Dee-Dee?"

Dawn froze at the sound of her nickname. Gritting her teeth, she turned towards the voice that had spoken it.

"Kenny, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me Dee-Dee! I hate that name!"

Kenny smiled briefly, then frowned again. "Uh, did you just appear out of thin air?"

Dawn smiled as Max stepped up beside her. "I teleported, yeah. Kenny, what are you doing in Slateport? Or even Hoenn?"

Kenny grinned as she hugged him. "I had heard that you were in Hoenn, so I figured that I might see if I could tag along. Sinnoh's not quite the same without you, Dawn." He hugged her back, then turned to Max. "Who's your friend?"

Dawn laughed. "Kenny, this is Max, May's brother. Max, this is Kenny. He's a friend of mine from Sinnoh, a Coordinator like me. We grew up together."

Max held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. This is my partner, Ralts."

Kenny grinned as he shook it. "Nice to meet you too."

Ralts looked at Kenny uncertainly.

Dawn smiled. "So, Kenny, what brings you to Slateport?"

Kenny smiled as the three of them started walking. "I had heard that there was a big market here, so I figured I'd see if I could pick some stuff up. I'm planning on entering the contest over in Verdanturf Town. How about you?"

Dawn paused. "Actually, Max and I are seeing if we can catch a plane somewhere."

Kenny frowned as he turned towards her. "You mean that you're not staying in Hoenn?"

Dawn smiled. "Yeah. There's someone I need to see. Someone important."

Kenny's expression turned serious. "Oh. I was kind of hoping that we could do some travelling together."

Something in Dawn chilled slightly. _Oh no. Does Kenny...?_ "Kenny, you know that I'd like to travel with you, but now isn't a good time. This is important for me."

Max looked back and forth between them. "Dawn, I'm going to see if I can book those tickets. I'll catch you later."

Kenny barely looked at him. "So, can I come with you than?"

Dawn took a step back, trying to put a little space between them. "I don't think so, Kenny. Unova's pretty far away, and they don't have contests there."

Kenny frowned, further confused. "So, why are you going there, if they don't have contests?"

Dawn shifted her weight. "There's someone there I need to talk to."

Kenny's eyes narrowed slightly. "Who?"

Dawn sighed. "Ash."

Kenny's hands balled into fists, then relaxed. "Oh." He looked off to the side. "What is it about him, Dawn?"

Dawn frowned. "What do you mean, Kenny?"

Kenny folded his arms. "Why him?"

Dawn took a second step back. "I just need to see him, Kenny. There's something important I need to talk to him about."

"Is it the same thing that I came here to tell you about?"

Dawn looked at him. _Oh, boy. This is going to be ugly._ "Kenny, I...I like you. A lot. We've been friends ever since kindergarten. But, that's all we are, Kenny. We're just friends."

Kenny sighed. "Dawn, I've felt this way for a long time. And I've been trying to tell you for almost as long. So I'll make you a deal. Battle me. I win, you travel with me. Maybe I can change your mind. You win, I won't bother you with this again."

Dawn frowned, then narrowed her eyes. "Is this what that battle you had with Ash in Sunyshore was about? Were you fighting him over me?"

Kenny nodded as he pulled a Pokeball from his belt. "Yeah, it was. So are you going to battle me or not?"

Dawn stepped forward, putting her nose right in front of Kenny's. "Lets get one thing straight, Kenny. I'm not something that you can fight over. I'm not something that you can 'win' like some prize for a contest. So you better be real careful about this, Kenny."

Kenny merely gazed back at her. "I can't let you go again, Dee-Dee."

He kissed her.

That did it. Dawn shoved him backwards, dropping Piplup in her surprise. "Excuse me! What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Piplup glared at Kenny as he landed on his feet. The drop had been a surprise, but he had decided that the blame was entirely with Kenny. "Piplup piplup! Pip, piplup!" (Hey! What makes you think you have the right to do that!)

Dawn glared at her friend as she wiped her hand across her mouth. "Alright, you want a battle? You got one. And I am going to beat your ass into the ground." She yanked a Pokeball from her backpack.

Max stared at the stand off, rather desperately hoping that he were somewhere else. "Oh, this isn't going to be good, Ralts."

"Ral." Ralts murmured. _Not good at all._ She had grown slightly colder in response to Dawn's turbulent emotions, chief among which was anger and indignation.

Officer Jenny suddenly roared up on her motorcycle. "What's going on?"

Max turned to her. "My friend is rather angry at her friend, so their about to have a battle to decide the outcome."

Officer Jenny frowned at the two combatants. "Oh, no you don't. Not here in the street you're not. There's a battlefield behind the Pokemon Center. You can battle there."

Dawn glared at Kenny, who simply shrugged. "That's fine." The trio followed Officer Jenny to the Pokemon Center, Dawn fuming the entire time. Finally, they reached the dirt field, marked out in a rectangle with white lines. Dawn and Kenny took up opposite sides of the field.

"Quilava, curtain time!" She threw the Pokeball forward, which split in half in a burst of white light. The light curved towards the ground, forming the long, low body of the Volcano Pokemon. The fur on his back was a dark blue color, his underside a soft cream. On the top of his head, between his small triangular ears, were two red holes, one small and round, the other longer and oval, forming an 'i' shape. Three more oval holes were on his backside, straight in a line. All five shimmered with heat.

Quilava scuffed the ground with his paw. "Quilava!" He looked over his shoulder at Dawn with red eyes, and noticed her furious expression. He turned back to look at Kenny. _What did he do to make her so mad?_ he wondered.

Kenny took a few steps back. "I'm sorry, Dawn. But I needed you to know how I felt. Empoleon, come on out!" He threw the Pokeball in his hand forward. The burst of light formed into the tall form of Empoleon, who was almost three times Quilava's height.

The Emporer Pokemon raised its blade-like wings, staring out with intense blue eyes from between the crown-like horns projecting up from his beak. "Empoleon!"

Piplup glared at his taller evolution, who was nearly five times his own height. Empoleon ignored him, concentrated on the fire type in front of him.

A passing stranger paused as he noticed the combatants. "Whoa, what's going on?"

Max sighed as he sat down on a bench. "An argument."

Kenny gazed across the battlefield. "You haven't got much of a chance, Dawn. A fire type like Quilava is not going to do well against a water type like Empoleon."

Dawn gritted her teeth. "And in case you didn't know, type isn't all that matters, Kenny. I learned that every time I watched Ash battle, and I've taken it to heart. So get ready to get your ass handed to you in pieces, and next time you'll think twice about up and kissing me." she growled.

Quilava's eyes widened, and he shook his head. Even Empoleon glanced back at his trainer with a 'what were you thinking' look on his face.

Max groaned. "Oh, that was stupid. No wonder she's pissed."

Kenny's mouth formed a hard line. "Empoleon, Flash Cannon!"

Dawn glared at him. "Quilava, dodge it!"

Quilava arched his back, and the red holes on his head and back erupted in flames. The air shimmered around him, and he bared his teeth, tensed and ready for the impending attack.

Empoleon turned back to his opponent and opened his beak. A silver orb formed in front of it, and it erupted into a beam, nearly a foot in diameter. The beam shot towards Quilava at blinding speed, a pure white core in a shining translucent silver sheath.

Quilava tensed further, the flames on his head blazing fiercely. Finally, he leaped to the side, briefly turning into a blur as he moved with all the speed of a flickering flame. The beam smashed into the ground, exploding into a cloud of dust and smoke.

Dawn barely blinked. "Is that all you've got, Kenny? You'll have to do better than that." she taunted.

Kenny gritted his teeth. "Empoleon, Steel Wing!"

Empoleon stretched his wings out. Each wide triangle shone with a silver light, and he leaped forward, soaring towards the waiting Quilava.

Dawn smiled. "Quilava, Flame Wheel!"

Without hesitation, Quilava jumped forward, curling into a ball. The flames on his head and back blazed brighter and hotter, enveloping him in a cocoon of fire as he spun. He hit the ground, accelerating rapidly, leaving a trail of flames and smoking earth as he sped on a collision course towards the approaching Empoleon.

Dawn watched closely. She was pissed that Kenny thought he could just kiss her whenever he wanted, but she wasn't so stupid that she was going to let her anger blind her. She had made that mistake too often in the past.

Empoleon and Quilava raced towards each other, each intent on overpowering the other.

Seconds before impact, Dawn suddenly shouted. "Quilava, flip over!"

Quilava threw his weight to his left, causing him to tip over. He grated against the ground as he fell against his side, Empoleon's shining wings passing over him harmlessly.

However, there was a rather large amount of hot air rising from the side of Quilava's Flame Wheel, which was now rising very quickly. This hot air struck the underside of Empoleon's wing, tipping him over just enough. This caught Empoleon by surprise, and his other wing dug in the ground, carving a shallow trench for a brief second.

The unexpected resistance shattered Empoleon's concentration, and he spun around, crashing into the ground hard as he bounced over and over.

Quilava, meanwhile, had continued with his own flip, using his momentum to bring himself back upright. Now he was spinning in the opposite direction, braking hard, and then charging forward as he found traction. Neither Empoleon nor Kenny had any time to react, and Quilava slammed square into Empoleon's back.

Empoleon gave a painful cry as he was thrown forward again, finally coming to rest near a wall. Kenny gritted his teeth. "Empoleon, get up!"

Dawn was not prepared to give him any chance to rest. "Quilava, Swift!"

The flames surrounding the Volcano Pokemon dissipated, and he leaped into the air, tucking into another spin. The flames on his head and back went out, and a series of golden stars fired from his spinning body. The barrage of stars streaked towards Empoleon, battering against his wings, head, and body as he struggled to his feet.

Empoleon simply winced and glared at Quilava, who landed a short distance away.

Kenny glared at her. "Nice string, but it won't do you much good."

Dawn glared back. "It did more than you know, Kenny. Empoleon may be a water type, but he's also a steel type, which do have a weakness to fire."

Kenny threw out his hand. "Then try this on for size. Empoleon, Drill Peck!"

Empoleon lunged forward, hurling himself into a furious spin. He formed a much bigger drill than Piplup did.

Dawn simply gritted her teeth. "Quilava, Smokescreen!"

Quilava opened his mouth, and thick black smoke poured out. It also billowed from his flame vents. Within seconds, Quilava was hidden within a large cloud of thick smoke.

Empoleon simply continued forward, his high-speed spin dispersing the cloud as he drilled through it. Quilava rolled out the side, having easily dodged the oncoming attack.

Dawn smiled grimly. "My turn. Quilava, run a circle around Empoleon with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava jumped to obey, quickly curling into the speedy attack. He raced a flaming track around the Emperor Pokemon, who suddenly found himself surrounded by a wall of flames.

Dawn smiled at the suddenly anxious Kenny, who wasn't sure what she was up to. He had never seen her this mad before, and had no idea what to expect.

"Now, keeping using Flame Wheel, and use Smokescreen!"

Thick, black smoke billowed from the ring, completely obscuring Empoleon from view. Empoleon looked from one side to another, confused and slightly anxious. He didn't like this situation one bit.

By this time, a small crowd had gathered to see the battle. Everyone watched in awe at the ring of smoke and flame. Two Coordinators were watching in total rapture at the performance, for despite her anger, Dawn was still a Coordinator herself. Every battle she did by default was a performance.

Kenny growled. "Empoleon, use Drill Peck in place!"

Empoleon was barely able to hear the command, but he still heard it. He spun on his feet, pointing straight into air. He spun faster and faster and faster.

Unfortunately, the attack had the opposite effect that Kenny had wanted. Instead of blowing the smoke away like he had hoped, the spinning drill causing what little air there was on the ground to shoot up through Empoleon's Drill Peck, creating a vacuum around his feet. This vacuum pulled more air through the wall of flame and smoke, pumping the heat up even higher. Glittering sparks and embers flew into the smoke, which glowed a hellish red as it was pulled inwards, completely enveloping Empoleon.

Empoleon stopped spinning, coughing on the smoke. Kenny had told him that Slateport was near the ocean. He couldn't smell the water anymore. All he could smell was smoke, ash, and fire. Part of him could handle the intense heat, he was a water type, after all. But another half, the steel half of his personality, didn't like this situation at all. He didn't feel like he was on the coast, he felt like he was stuck in the middle of a volcano.

Dawn smiled. "Quilava, get in there, and use Eruption!" she shouted.

Quilava, who the entire time had been continuing to race circles around Empoleon, had been fighting against the vacuum that had been created. He barely managed to hear Dawn's command, and he smiled to himself. Turning inwards, he allowed the vacuum's pull to drag him straight between Empoleon's webbed feet.

Kenny's eyes widened. For a moment, he couldn't say anything at all.

The column of glowing red smoke exploded. The smoke was blown away, revealing a wide pillar of ash and lava blasting straight up with all the ferocity of a true volcanic eruption. Right at the base of the pillar, crouched Quilava. The pillar of flame and ash blasted straight out of the flame vents on his head. His eyes were closed with concentration as he poured every bit of strength in his body into the powerful attack.

The effect was, overall, rather impressive.

Finally, the attack came to its end. Quilava became too tired to sustain it, and allowed the column of lava to peter out, until all that remained were the flames that still blazed from his head and rear.

Seconds later, Empoleon fell out of the sky, smashing into the ground with a loud crash, forming a small crater over six feet in diameter. He lay inside the crater for a moment, then groaned and slowly crawled out. He was breathing hard, and various bruises and scorch marks covered his body. It was clear that he had taken a serious beating from the attack.

Quilava and Empoleon glared at each other. It was a rather impressive comparison. Empoleon was a fully evolved water/steel type, seriously damaged. Quilava was a second form fire type, completely unharmed. Quilava was even starting to get his breath back, a sure sign that he had much more gas in his tank than Empoleon did.

Kenny glared at her, momentarily too furious for words. Finally he managed to get his tongue to work. "Empoleon, are you okay?"

Empoleon supported itself on one wing, glaring at Quilava. "Empol!"

Kenny nodded. "Alright. I'll admit, that was a good combination Dawn. But we're not done yet. Empoleon, Drill Peck!"

Empoleon pushed itself up and launched itself forward, spinning into the attack. Quilava tensed, ready to dodge.

Just as Dawn was about to call a command, Kenny stepped forward. "Now, Steel Wing!"

The rim of Empoleon's drill-like shape suddenly glowed silver, and he accelerated forward. Just as he was about to hit Quilava, he swung upwards, perpendicular to the ground, right over top of Quilava. Silver rings began bursting from Empoleon, descending down to the ground, trapping Quilava. Empoleon sprang out of the drill shape, hovering on glowing wings.

Kenny grinned. "Now, Hydro Cannon!"

Dawn bared her teeth. "Quilava, block it with Eruption!"

Empoleon opened his beak, and a bright blue sphere of water formed, growing larger and larger, until finally it was nearly was wide as his chest. Angling his wings, Empoleon fired the sphere straight down.

Kenny smirked. "That won't do much good Dawn. Hydro Cannon is the most powerful water attack known."

Dawn simply smiled right back. "That's true. But Eruption's power depends on how much energy your Pokemon has. And since Quilava hasn't taken any damage at all, Eruption is just as powerful as Hydro Cannon. So we'll see which one can handle more."

Quilava braced himself and closed his eyes. For a moment, nothing happened, then a massive column of ash and lava burst out of the flame vents on his head. The pillar of flame intercepted the powerful sphere of water, resulting in a cloud of super-heated steam as the two attacks competed for supremacy.

Empoleon floated on the steam, concentrating on maintaining his Steel Wing, lest he fall straight into the battle raging below. Quilava kept his eyes clamped shut, desperately hoping that he could keep the attack going long enough to wear out the water attack. If he failed by anything other than a tiny degree, he knew that he would pay for it dearly. Water types tended to be unforgiving with fire types.

The entire crowd was riveted by the hissing cloud of steam that was trapped within the silver rings, waiting with bated breath to see who would become triumphant.

Finally, Quilava could go no more, and was forced to stop his attack. He cringed, waiting for the dreaded impact.

Nothing.

He had succeeded in wearing out the Hydro Cannon. He nearly sighed with relief, until he remembered who was above him.

Unfortunately, Empoleon was having problems of his own. The Hydro Cannon attack was extremely powerful, but it also took a great deal of energy. He could no longer sustain his own Steel Wing, and fell.

Dawn took her opportunity and ran with it. "Quilava, break out using Flame Wheel!"

Quilava realized that he was getting a second chance. Leaping into a ball, he became enveloped in flames once again and slammed into the silver ring that trapped him. Without the spinning Steel Wing to sustain it, the ring collapsed, and Quilava was free. He quickly ran a long loop, and charged towards the exhausted Empoleon, who could do nothing to avoid it.

Dawn was determined to finish the battle. "Keep going. Swift!"

Golden stars burst from the circle of flames that surrounded Quilava, then sped inwards to form a golden barrier. Quilava accelerated.

Kenny gritted his teeth. He needed Empoleon to recover, otherwise this battle was over. "Come on! Get up Empoleon!"

Empoleon managed to raise his head, in time to see his glittering opponent approaching. He just didn't have it in him.

Dawn saw her chance for victory, and she took it. "Last one, Eruption!"

The golden shield covering Quilava glowed, brighter and brighter, until it was sheer white in its intensity. Quilava shot forward as if fired from a cannon. He could barely contain the raw power now trapped inside his Volcanic Wheel, and was incredibly thankful for his flameproof fur.

At this point, Quilava was moving too quickly to do anything. It was either hit, or miss. Unfortunately, Empoleon was just too tired to try anything except watch.

Quilava smashed straight into Empoleon's face. The impact broke the Swift shield around the Volcanic Wheel, unleashing the full power of the attack in a single explosion.

It was so great, both Pokemon were thrown backwards. Quilava was only a little tired, and thanks to his flameproof fur, and being a fire type, he still had the presence of mind to keep track of himself, and was able to land, albeit unsteadily, on his paws. Empoleon was not so lucky. He simply shot past Kenny and slammed into a wall.

Kenny whipped around. "Empoleon, NO!" He rushed to his partner, who was embedded in the brickwork with his eyes closed. He grabbed Empoleon's crest, something that Empoleon would normally have never allowed. No response.

The crowd was silent. Even Dawn realized that she might have taken it a little too far.

Finally, Empoleon managed to open his eyes. He gave Kenny a sad look, then passed out. Kenny lowered his head.

Dawn pulled out Quilava's Pokeball. "Thank you Quilava. Return." She walked over to her friend and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Will Empoleon be okay?"

Kenny didn't move. "He's taken worse hits than that." His voice was dull, utterly defeated.

Dawn looked at the unconscious Emperor Pokemon, then took her hand off of Kenny's shoulder. The crowd had dispersed, now that the battle was over.

Max stared in awe. He hadn't seen such an intense battle since watching Ash and Paul battle on television. To see such an epic fight in person, it couldn't be described. He turned as he overheard the two nearby Coordinator's whispering to each other. He couldn't catch most of it, but he did hear some words. "The Fiery Lady of Sinnoh?"

Dawn gave Empoleon one last look as Kenny returned him to his Pokeball, then turned and walked to Max. She paused as Kenny spoke.

"Dawn? I love you."

Dawn stood there for a heartbeat, then started walking away. "I'm sorry Kenny."

_My my, I do have a bit of a cruel streak, don't I? That was probably not fair to Kenny, but I have problems with him, and I have a love for epic fight scenes, so I sometimes get carried away. Anyways, everybody loves drama. So, in closing, Dawn and Max leave for Unova, after Dawn makes good on her promise to hand Kenny's butt to him in pieces. Next chapter will be a little broken, because that will be a good opportunity to do some nice switching back and forth. See ya!_

_Psych! I'm not done talking. I am currently preparing what I think is a rather beautiful scene between Ash and Dawn. It won't be showing up for a little while, because I'm evil, but I swear, it will be worth the wait! Have faith, my brothers and sisters!  
_


	6. Chapter 6

_Where do our paths take us? Each of us travels alone through life, though our paths, as often as not, take us near to the paths of others. Sometimes, our paths cross entirely, and how we deal with the collision is part of what defines us. Sometimes we fight, sometimes we embrace, and sometimes, we stand apart, unsure of ourselves..._

Dawn gazed out the window of the plane, down at the dark blue ocean that glittered in the setting sun. It had been almost two days since her battle with Kenny, since she had left Hoenn behind her to find Ash. In that time, she had thought long and hard about how she was going to tell Ash her secret. She still hadn't come up with an answer.

She turned her head as Max shifted in the seat next to her, holding Ralts protectively in his arms. The two of them were inseparable. She had never seen anybody with such a strong connection with their Pokemon since she had last travelled with Ash.

She sighed as she returned her gaze to the window. _How long do I have to wait before I see him again?_

A beep drew her attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will be landing in Mistralton City in approximately thirty minutes. Please make sure that all of your things are stowed away safely."

Dawn smiled as she watched the sun drop closer to the horizon. _I'm here, Ash. But where are you?_

Ash stood in the small field, watching carefully as Scraggy and Axew stared at each other from across the grass. It had been two days since his gym battle with Skyla, two days since his decision to continue on to Icirrus City to challenge the next gym there. Little had changed in his demeanor. He was still focused on training his Pokemon, on making them better. He was still focused on pursuing his goal of becoming a Pokemon Master, that much was clear from the determination stamped on his face.

But, every action felt mechanical to him now, like he was simply repeating things he had already done as opposed to actually getting closer to his goal. Oh, sure, new things came along. The Clubsplosion Tournament, rescuing Axew from the Durant nest, they had brought some of his old self back to the fore. Battles never failed to attract his attention and fighting spirit. But by the end, he slipped back into an almost dull monotony.

Iris smiled. "Axew, use Scratch!"

Ash smirked. "Scraggy, use Leer."

The small green Tusk Pokemon rushed forward, the tiny claws on his hand sparkling in the sunlight. The look on Axew's face made clear his intent and determination to defeat his friend.

Scraggy stretched himself as tall as he could. Narrowing his eyes, the Shedding Pokemon glared down at his friend, who flinched and paused in fear.

Ash's grin grew wider. "Now, Scraggy, Headbutt!"

Scraggy leaned back, then threw himself forward, smashing his thick forehead straight into Axew's, who stumbled backwards and fell over.

Iris grimaced. "You okay Axew?"

Axew shook his head to clear the buzzing sensation running around in his skull, then jumped to his feet. "Axew ax!" (Not out yet!)

His opponent smiled, and held out his hand in a clear 'come hither' gesture. "Scrag." (Bring it.)

Iris grinned. "Alright Axew, give him a shot of Dragon Rage!"

Axew concentrated, feeling the power building in his abdomen and welling up into his mouth. He held it for as long as he could, then braced himself and opened his mouth. A writhing, pulsating blast of blue energy erupted forth, rippling through the air towards Scraggy like a snake.

The small yellow Pokemon tensed as he watched the rapidly approaching attack. Jumping aside would probably safe him a lot of energy, but he was tough, and it might throw Axew for a loop if he withstood the attack. He gripped the rim of his pants, trying to decide.

The decision was made for him. "Scraggy, dodge it!" The agile fighting type leaped aside, utilizing a long perfected technique of balancing his flight with one hand and holding up his pants with the other, in case his attempt failed.

It didn't, and the powerful beam of energy smashed into the ground, carving a short trench before exploding into a crater. Scraggy landed on his feet unharmed, and ready for another strike.

Ash grinned as the youngest member of his team took a knee, waiting for his next command. "Scraggy, Headbutt again!" He watched as Scraggy leaped forwards, aiming his oversized head straight towards his friend.

Iris gritted her teeth. "Axew, block it with Scratch!" Her partner charged forward, swinging his short arm to meet the incoming attack.

Both attacks collided, then threw the combatants apart, each glaring at the other, neither willing to give up.

Ash called the first move. "Scraggy, use High Jump Kick!" The Shedding Pokemon leaped high into the air, then flipped around and rocketed towards Axew, his knee becoming enveloped in striated red light as he descended like a meteor. Scraggy had faith in his trainer, but even he was hoping that the attack would connect. He knew from practice that a failed High Jump Kick hurt. A lot.

Iris narrowed her eyes. "Axew, knock him down with Dragon Rage!" Axew sucked in a breath and fired another writhing blast of energy at his friend.

The rippling beam flickered like blue fire as it intercepted with Scraggy, who winced slightly as he focused all of his attention and effort onto the sharp point of his knee. Both opponents were using a daring strategy. Scraggy was too dedicated to his attack to do anything other than attempt to power through the Dragon Rage, and Axew couldn't move without stopping his own attack.

Scraggy slowly slid through the powerful dragon type attack like a dull knife, sweat beading on his forehead with the effort.

Ash suddenly stepped forward. "Scraggy, use Focus Blast!"

Scraggy's eyes widened, and though he was unsure as to what Ash was planning, he cupped his hands and concentrated.

Iris frowned at her friend, though Axew paid no attention. "What is Ash doing? Scraggy can barely form a Focus Blast, let alone aim it in the middle of a Dragon Rage." She said to herself quietly.

A glowing blue orb unsteadily formed in Scraggy's hands, his eyes narrowed as he precariously split his concentration. He thrust his hands forward, hoping that he could finally pull it off.

Not quite. The orb immediately shot off to the side, exploding the second it made contact with the flickering energy of the Dragon Rage. The force of the explosion threw Scraggy back into the sky, and knocked Axew flat onto his back.

Ash smiled. "Alright, Scraggy. We've got him. High Jump Kick again!"

Scraggy was frantically pinwheeling his arms as he flew through the air, but he managed to gather enough balance to flip himself around and once again shoot towards the fallen Tusk Pokemon.

Iris gritted her teeth in concern. "Axew, get up! You've got to dodge it!"

Unfortunately, Axew was still dazed from the exploding Focus Blast, and by the time he saw the approaching Scraggy, it was too late. The Shedding Pokemon landed knee first straight into Axew's stomach with a powerful crash, driving the breath from the dragon's lungs. Scraggy remained kneeling on his friend, then backflipped away, equal parts thankful and concerned. Thankful that he hadn't failed the High Jump Kick. Concerned about the amount of damage that he had done to Axew.

Axew remained laying on the ground for a moment, then groaned slightly and pushed himself out of the ground. He climbed unsteadily to his feet, swaying slightly from side to side.

Iris called out to him worriedly. "Axew, are you okay?"

The Tusk Pokemon continued to sway, but he remained on his feet. "Ax, ew." (Still here.)

Iris smiled. Her partner was a fighter, and not one to give up easily. "Alright, Axew. Let's try this out for size. Outrage!"

For a moment, Axew just stood there. His eyes were closed, his head bowed. Scraggy looked at him cautiously, warily gripping his pants.

Axew raised his head, and opened his eyes. Normally, his red eyes gleamed with a happy, playful charm. Now, they glowed brightly with a fury that was not normally part of his personality. He bared his teeth, and his short tusks seemed to become sharper in the sunlight. With a loud, angry scream, he charged forward, becoming covered in a thin red light that matched the glow in his eyes.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Scraggy, dodge it!" Scraggy waited for a moment, then leaped into the air, intending to jump straight over top of Axew.

Unfortunately, the furious Tusk Pokemon wasn't so angry as to be fooled. He leaped into the air as well, crashing into Scraggy, whom he proceeded to punch, kick, bite, and scratch, twisting his head from side to side to slash with his short tusks. The two Pokemon collapsed into a heap on the ground, Axew continuing to pummel Scraggy, who instinctively pulled his pants up to protect his body. The pair became enveloped in a cloud of dust, dimly illuminated by Axew's red light.

Finally, the red light faded, and the dust settled. Axew stood overtop of Scraggy, panting heavily, then fell forward. Both Pokemon were out cold, Scraggy from the beating he had received, Axew from sheer exhaustion.

Cilan, who had been watching the battle closely as judge, raised his hand. "That's enough. The battle is a tie."

Both trainers rushed over to their respective Pokemon. Gently picking them up, Ash and Iris looked at them worriedly.

"Scraggy, you alright?"

"Axew, wake up please?"

Both young Pokemon opened their eyes, looking at each other. Axew worriedly reached out to his friend, anxious to see if he was okay. Scraggy smiled and accepted the small paw.

"Scrag, scraggy." (Nice battle. Again sometime.)

Axew smiled happily, albeit wearily. "Axew." (Yeah.)

Both Pokemon turned to their trainers and smiled, and both Ash and Iris gave a sigh of relief. Though Scraggy and Axew were from different nests, they were brothers in mind and heart, and neither truly wanted to hurt the other.

Iris turned and smiled at Ash. "That was good battle. Both of them are getting better. Too bad Scraggy still hasn't mastered Focus Blast."

Ash nodded as the trainers carried their Pokemon to where the rest of their teams were waiting. "Yeah. Axew's Outrage was pretty tough. I don't know many Pokemon who could keep standing after that."

His tone was light and happy, but within his mind and heart, his enthusiasm was already fading.

Dawn gazed up at the sky as she crawled out of her tent. The golden sun was just beginning to crest over the horizon, casting it's shining rays on the slopes of Twist Mountain. Several days had passed since Max and her had arrived in Unova, days since discovering that Ash had already passed through Mistralton with his two companions, a dragon trainer named Iris, and a Gym Leader/Pokemon Connoisseur named Cilan. She was curious about them, particularly about Iris, wondering what this new girl might mean to Ash.

She glanced over to the now cold fire pit, on the opposite side of which lay the still slumbering Max and Ralts. Piplup was still asleep in her tent. She turned back to the sunrise, her heart faintly swelling in response to the warm rays for which she was named.

Sighing, she grabbed a stick and began stirring the ashes, trying to find some coals, some buried remnant of the fire from the night before.

Something soft brushed against her calf, and she looked down in surprise to find Piplup looking up at her, and she smiled. "Morning Piplup. How are you?"

Her partner smiled. "Pip, piplup." (Morning Dawn.)

The dark sleeping bag on the other side of the camp stirred, and Max and Ralts blearily looked up. Dawn giggled slightly at the sight. "Hey Max. You sleep alright?"

The younger boy looked at her for a moment, his eyes unfocused. "Uh, yeah. You?"

Dawn smiled. "I was fine."

Max's glasses suddenly lifted off the ground, unfolding to hover in front of his face. He smiled as he plucked them out of the air, placing them on his face before hugging Ralts, who's eyes were glowing a dim blue.

A several hours later, after packing up the campsite, the pair of trainers and their Pokemon were walking steadily north. Max was looking at a solid map as Ralts peered over his shoulder, since his Pokenav didn't have any data for the Unova Region.

"Looks like Icirrus City is not too far ahead. We should be there pretty soon."

Dawn nodded. "With any luck, Ash is already there. I wonder what exactly a Pokemon Connoisseur does. Skyla and Nurse Joy weren't too specific."

Max simply shook his head. "I don't know, but it'll be interesting to meet that Cilan guy. And Iris. You don't meet many dragon trainers. I wonder what sort of Pokemon they have, and who all Ash has. Man, Unova Pokemon are really cool. I need to catch one."

Dawn smiled. Max reminded her a lot of Ash. Pokemon was their first love, both of them. "Yeah. Skyla had mentioned his Krokorok and Unfezant, but neither of us has a Unova Pokedex, so there's no way of telling what they look like. We can't really use Skyla's Unfezant as an example, since Ash's is supposed to be female, and Skyla's was male. They're supposed to look very different."

Max nodded. Together, they steadily climbed up the hill, pausing as they reached the top.

The various buildings of the small city were built on raised terraces and small hills, connected by shallow valleys. It puzzled Dawn why the entire city wasn't level, but there was probably a reason for it.

Dawn smiled as she looked across the city. _I hope you're here, Ash. I hope that I don't have to wait much longer to see you._ "Come on. If I know Ash, he's either at the Pokemon Center, the Gym, or some place nearby training."

She looked at Max, who was staring off into the horizon. She looked at him curiously. "Max? Hello?"

Max pointed ahead. "What do you think that is?"

Dawn followed his arm, and saw the tall tower rising in the distance. She hadn't noticed it before, but now it seemed to dominate the skyline. "I don't know. We could ask someone, maybe check it out later."

Max nodded. "Right. First we should see if Ash is around."

Making their way to the Pokemon Center, both of them smiled as they saw Nurse Joy busy typing at a computer.

Dawn stepped up to the counter. "Excuse me?"

Nurse Joy looked up in surprise. "Oh, hello. Welcome. Wow, those are some interesting Pokemon you've got with you. Could I see them please?"

Dawn and Max looked at each other and smiled. "Sure." Dawn answered, lifting Piplup over her head to set him on the counter. "This is Piplup." Ralts simply teleported from her spot on Max's backpack. Max smiled. "That's Ralts."

Nurse Joy examined both Pokemon closely. Ralts and Piplup looked at each other, unsure about the woman. Finally, Nurse Joy straightened up. "I've never seen Pokemon like this, though they do seem to be in excellent health. Is there something I could help you with?"

Ralts teleported back to Max, this time reappearing with her arms wrapped around his neck. He quickly held her in a hug. "Yeah. We were wondering if you've seen a Pokemon trainer named Ash. He travels with a Pikachu?"

Nurse Joy looked at him blankly. "Pikachu? I'm sorry, but I've never heard of that Pokemon."

Dawn slipped her hand into her backpack and pulled out a folded up photograph. Unfolding it, she looked at it for a moment, her heart heavy. She stood in the center, holding Piplup in her arms. On either side were Brock and Ash, with Pikachu perched on Ash's shoulder, like always. She turned the photo towards Nurse Joy.

"That's Ash, though he might be wearing different clothes now. And this is Pikachu." She tapped the pictured individuals with her finger.

Nurse Joy studied the photo for a moment, then shook her head. "Sorry, but I haven't seen anyone like that, or that Pokemon. If you like, I'll keep an eye out for them. Could I get your names?"

Dawn sighed slightly, then folded up the picture and slipped it back into her backpack, then picked up Piplup. "Yeah, thanks. I'm Dawn, and this is Max. Tell Ash that we're looking for him. Also, could you tell us where the local Gym is?"

Nurse Joy smiled as she pointed to a small map of the city. "Of course. Brycen's Gym is located just outside the north end of the city, on the way to Dragonspiral Tower. You can't miss it."

Max's interest spiked at her words. "Dragonspiral Tower? What's that?"

Nurse Joy giggled slightly. "Dragonspiral Tower is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, structure in Unova. According to legend, Dragonspiral Tower is where the two heroes of Unova fought each other, along side their legendary Pokemon, Zekrom and Reshiram."

Max's eyes widened, and Ralts twisted around to peer up at the Nurse. "Whoa. That must have been an amazing battle."

Nurse Joy nodded. "They say that Zekrom and Reshiram were once a single Pokemon, before the heroes conflict caused it to split into two. They also say that that final battle resulted in the legendary Pokemon to turn into the stones they are now."

She smiled. "Or at least, that's how the legend goes. At any rate, the tower is mostly empty and breaking down. Only Pokemon live there now, mostly Meinfoo and Golett. It might be worth seeing." She frowned. "Although, I don't know how much luck you will have. According to some trainers who have gone there, even the Pokemon have been unusually hard to find."

Dawn and Max both nodded. "Right, we'll check it out." Dawn smiled. "Come on, lets go see if Ash is at that Gym."

Several minutes later, both trainers stood in front of the Gym, which seemed to be built inside a cave. The young man who had come outside shook his head. "Nope, I haven't seen a trainer with a Pikachu. If I had, I would have turned him away. Brycen's out training in the mountains, and I don't know when he'll be back. Some other time maybe." He turned and went back inside the Gym, the doors sliding closed behind him.

Dawn's shoulders sagged, and she bowed her head. "Wrong again." She sighed, then turned and looked at Max, fixing a smile on her face. "Well, since we know that Ash hasn't been here yet, if we hang around, we'll be sure to bump into him. What do you say we check out that Dragonspiral Tower while we wait?"

Max nodded, excited determination stamped on his face. "Man, I can't wait until Ash gets here. I'll finally be able to have that battle."

Slowly, the pair made their way to the distant tower.

Not far off, Ash gritted his teeth as he stared down the Pokemon Poacher. Pikachu was crouched in front of him, glaring at the two floating Jellicent. One was a bright blue and white, the other two different shades of pink. The Poacher behind them smirked. "Look, kid, you're out of your league. I've been hunting this Volcarona for weeks now, and I'm not going to let some snot-nosed kid take my prize. I've got a lot of money riding on this job." He turned his narrowed gaze to the older man standing next to Ash. "And as for you, Brycen, why don't you go back to Icirrus, and quit sticking yer nose in my business."

Standing next to Pikachu, a tall white bear spread his arms and roared. Brycen gave the Poacher a cold look. "This Volcarona is exceedingly rare, and is not to be disturbed. Return your Pokemon, leave here, and this doesn't have to end badly."

The poacher snorted. "Yeah, right. Jellicent, Hydro Pump!" Both water types reared back, and twin powerful streams of water blasted towards the two Pokemon.

Ash threw out his hand. "Pikachu, dodge it, then use Thunderbolt!"

Brycen clenched his fist. "Beartic, brace for it, then Aerial Ace!"

Pikachu tensed, then leaped into the air, easily avoiding the powerful attack. Concentrating, he became enveloped in a field of electricity, and fired a powerful bolt towards the blue Jellicent.

The Beartic crossed its arms and dug its hind claws into the dirt, leaning forward slightly. The Hydro Pump smashed into it, pushing it backwards, its hind paws carving shallow trenches in the dirt. With a loud growl, the large bear uncrossed its arms, dispersing the stream of water, and launched itself forward, racing towards the pink Jellicent.

Both attacks struck true, and the two Jellicent were knocked flying into the poacher. Ash smiled grimly.

A bright light shone from nearby, and the large Volcarona, easily dwarfing the rest of the group, fluttered free from its open cage, Iris and Cilan below trying to shield themselves from the shower of burning scales that drifted from the beating wings. The Sun Pokemon soared into the sky, retreating further into the mountains.

Ash and Brycen lowered their arms, from when they had been shielding themselves from the burning light of the Volcarona's wings, and Ash growled in frustration. The Poacher had disappeared. "Come on, he got away?"

Brycen walked up to the Beartic and laid his hand on the Freezing Pokemon's paw. "Excellent work, my friend." He turned to Ash. "Don't worry. He won't get too far. With most of his equipment broken, he'll be forced to retreat. Once Jenny gets ahold of this camp, I doubt that it will be much longer for her to track him down." He smiled as he returned the Beartic to its Pokeball. "In the mean time, may I ask where you are going?"

Ash smiled as Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder, Iris and Cilan approaching. "We're on our way to Icirrus City, so that I can get my seventh Gym badge."

Brycen smiled. "Well then, you are in luck. It is a pleasure to meet you, Ash. I am the Gym Leader of Icirrus City."

All three trainers stared at the older man. "You're the Gym Leader?" Iris asked in disbelief.

Brycen nodded. "Yes. Beartic and I were just taking some time off to train, but perhaps now would be a good time to return. Follow me, Icirrus City isn't too far from here."

Dawn and Max stared up at the looming tower. It was old and decrepit, with many sections of the curved wall having fallen out.

Max took a small breath. "Wow. Do you ya think that two trainers with legendary Pokemon really battled here?"

Dawn thought about what she knew about legends, about what she had seen of Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, and the Mirage Pokemon, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. "I think that it could have happened. I think that it would have been incredible to see."

Max nodded, remembering his own adventures, seeing Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys and Manaphy. "Yeah, it would have been."

Dawn smiled. "Come on, lets go inside, look around."

Many minutes passed as the pair walked through the ruins, and neither saw any trace of Pokemon. Various stone pillars had broken and fallen with age, the floor was cracked and scattered with holes, and the air seemed to be permeated with the age of the structure. But it was entirely deserted.

Dawn glanced nervously behind her. "Where do you think the Pokemon are? You'd think we would have seen something by now."

Max nodded. "Yeah. It's weird."

Ralts was looking around her, when she suddenly flinched and started shivering. Max immediately felt her become colder, and he lifted her up from his backpack. "Ralts? What's wrong?"

Dawn turned and looked at the pair in concern, Piplup jumping down from her own bag. "Max?

Ralts shivered in Max's arms. _Bad. Wrong. I feel so cold, Max. Someone bad is here, very close._

Max looked around worriedly. "I think something bad's happened to the Pokemon here. Ralts is sensing some pretty bad emotions."

A hollow, grating sound suddenly echoed through the air, like stones being ground up at the bottom of a long tube. Heavy footsteps sounded, and Dawn and Max ducked behind a pillar. They peaked over the top of the stone.

From the shadows, a medium sized, round object hurried into the light. It was vaguely human in shape, but that was using the loosest sense of the term. Its round body was easily over two feet in diameter, with a small, triangular head, short, stocky arms, and a pair of small, stony feet. Yellow light glowed from four small holes in its body, where its limbs projected outwards. It seemed to be made out of blue rock of different shades, with four thick, brown bands surrounding it in an X shape, converging on a diamond-shaped panel on its front. A yellow swirl, glowing like the light from the holes in its body, marked the front of the panel. Two yellow eyes glowed from its head, one a rectangle, the other shaped like a reverse L.

The strange Pokemon paused as it entered the light, its human-like hands anxiously clenching and unclenching as it looked around. It moved forward again, seemingly anxious to be somewhere else.

A dark shape sailed high over its head, and a purple, cat-like Pokemon landed in front of it. The new Pokemon was slender and lithe, with creamy spots on its dark fur. Its legs and underside where a dark cream, and a sickle-shaped tail nonchalantly swept through the air. The newcomer turned around and faced the stone-like Pokemon.

"Liepa!" It meowed, almost like a dare. Again, that echoed grating sound rumbled through the air. The round Pokemon raised its fist, which shone briefly before becoming enveloped in translucent, gray-violet energy.

The feline-like Pokemon moved first, darting forward with blurring speed. It's delicate paw struck the round Pokemon in the face, knocking it over, and the grey-violet energy faded. The cat-like Pokemon jumped into the air, and its paw became enveloped in black and red energy. It dropped down onto its prey, and stabbed its paw at the square panel on the round Pokemon's body. The echoing grating sound came again, but this time its pitch was different, and Dawn suddenly realized that it was being made by the round Pokemon.

The feline jumped off, and a net shot from the shadows, wrapping around and trapping the round Pokemon. The trapped Pokemon frantically pushed itself up, struggling to escape, but the sturdy rope held fast.

"Easy there. Don't want you wasting all that energy now. Liepard, why don't you convince this little Golett to calm down. Shadow Ball!"

The cat-like Pokemon, apparently named Liepard, opened its mouth, and a crackling violet ball formed inside it. With a snap, the Liepard shot the ball towards the helpless Golett, and the ball exploded in its face. The Golett fell over again, and this time, it stopped struggling.

The man who had spoken stepped out of the shadows, walking sedately beside the rope that trailed from the net. "Thought you could avoid capture, huh? That wasn't very nice, abandoning your fellows. Hows about I put in a cage like the others, and then you'll all be happy." He pulled a small communication device from his belt. "Got em, Jake. Reel it in."

The trailing rope became taunt, and the trapped Golett was dragged backwards into the shadows, followed by the man and the Liepard.

Dawn gritted her teeth, and she was forced to grab hold of Piplup to stop him from charging after the man. "Uuugh, what is that guy doing? Is he a poacher of some kind?"

Max glared into the shadows where the man had disappeared. Ralts continued to shiver in his arms. "I don't know, but I do know that that Pokemon was trying to escape. We gotta help it!"

Dawn nodded. "Lets go, but quietly. Is Ralts going to be okay?"

Ralts continued shivering for a moment, then resolutely pushed Max's arms open and dropped to the ground. A dim blue light shone from beneath her helmet-like hair. _He must be stopped. I can sense others, they are frightened. We must help them._

Max nodded, and the four trainers and Pokemon crept out from behind the fallen pillar, slowly advancing into the shadows.

Within minutes, the dim glow of a fire could be seen. Dawn and Max took cover behind another fallen pillar, looking carefully. The man they had seen earlier was standing among a bunch of mid-sized cages, each barely large enough to hold the Pokemon trapped inside. His Liepard was lounging by the fire.

Sitting on the other side of the fire, was a second man. This one was bulkier than the first, and was doing something with a laptop. He chuckled. "I tell ya Ray, this was a piece of cake. They're going to pay big money for all these Golett."

Ray had his back turned to them as he examined one of the cages. "Yeah. Too bad we have to give them all up. This one really put up a fight. The only one we needed help with." He turned and stepped aside, revealing the trapped Golett.

This one was different. Unlike the others, who's main colors were different shades of blue, this Golett was mostly gray and black. Where the other Golett had yellow energy glowing from within their bodies, this one was had bright green. And unlike the others, it was struggling to free itself.

Dawn gritted her teeth again. "They are poachers!" she whispered.

Max clenched his fists. "I'll see if I can sneak around and free them."

The Liepard suddenly lifted its head, turning its green eyes in their direction. It got to its feet, growling. Jake glanced up. "Uh, Ray, I think your Liepard heard something."

Liepard's response was to fire a Shadow Ball at the pillar that Dawn and Max were hiding behind. The force of the hit cracked the pillar in two, the force of the explosion knocking Dawn and Max onto their backs. Ray hurried over.

"Hey! Whoever you are, show yourselves!"

Dawn and Max groaned, then got their feet and slowly entered the firelight. Dawn glared at both men. Ray chuckled. "Well, well. Looky here. We got ourselves a couple o' kids, Jake. Watcha doin' here, kids?"

Dawn glared at him. "Let those Pokemon go!"

Jake laughed. "Let em go? Yeah right. Look, girly, we're getting paid a lot of money to grab these Golett, so the only time we'll be letting them go is when we hand em over to our employer."

Ray peered at them. "Hey, Jake. Look at those Pokemon they got with em. You ever seen Pokemon like tha'?"

Jake glanced at Ralts and Piplup, then took a second, more interested look. "Naw, I ain't never seen anything like em. I wonder how much we could get for them."

Max stamped his foot. "You can't have our Pokemon, so let those Pokemon go!"

Ray simply chuckled as Liepard delicately stepped in front of him. "See, ya didn't hear us the first time, kid. And as for your Pokemon, well, ya ain't really gonna have a choice. Jake, whaddya say we responsible adults take those poor Pokemon from these irresponsible kids?"

Jake smiled as he pulled a Pokeball from his waist. "With pleasure, Ray." He tossed the Pokeball into the air, and a white light flashed from inside it, forming a large, bulky Pokemon.

Dawn and Max stared. The new Pokemon looked like a trash heap had broken out of a garbage bag. It was easily three times the size of the Liepard. Opening its small mouth, a noxious gas billowed out. "Garbodor!"

Ralts and Piplup stepped forward, each quite eager to demonstrate there power. Ralts was barely shaking, and through the faint connection they shared, Max could feel her fury and indignation.

Ray chuckled. "Jake, I'll leave the first move to you."

Jake smiled, the expression looking cruel on his face. "Why, thank you, partner. Garbodor, Sludge Bomb!"

The massive, stinking pile raised its right arm, and a foul smelling ball of sludge formed in its right hand. Drawing back its arm, it hurled the toxic ball at Piplup.

Dawn thrust out her hand. "Piplup, use Bubblebeam!"

Ray smirked. "Liepard, Fake Out!" The Liepard leaped forward, and before Piplup could move a muscle, the feline struck him across the face, knocking him into a spin.

Max stamped his foot again. "Ralts, stop that Sludge Bomb with Psychic!" A bright blue light shone from Ralts' concealed eyes, and the Sludge Bomb slowed to a stop in mid air.

Jake smirked. "That puny little girl will be more than preoccupied. Garbodor, Gunk Shot on that tiny little blue bird!" Ray chuckled. "Liepard, Night Slash!"

Dawn growled. "Piplup, use Drill Peck!"

The massive Garbodor raised its right arm again, and a foul stream of toxic liquid shot from the hollow tubes that formed its fingertips. The Liepard leaped forward again, its left paw becoming enveloped in red and black light. Piplup threw himself forward, launching into a spin that allowed him to burrow into the Gunk Shot. The Liepard brought its paw down into the stream, and Piplup was knocked to the ground. The Garbodor adjusted its aim, and Piplup was sent flying into a pillar.

Ralts made a small sound, and the Sludge Bomb she had stopped split in half, each half sent speeding towards each opponent. The Liepard daintily jumped aside, and the Garbodor made no effort to stop the sludge that splattered against its body.

Ray chuckled. "Little girl's got spunk. Liepard, Shadow Ball." Jake smiled. "Garbodor, Clear Smog." Again, the Liepard fired a crackling violet orb from its mouth, and the Garbodor belched a pale mist from its mouth.

Max grunted. "Ralts, Safeguard!" A glittering green shield formed around Ralts. The Clear Smog billowed against the shield but advanced to further. The Shadow Ball deflected to the side as it smashed through the shield, exploding harmlessly against a pillar.

Dawn growled again. "Piplup, use Whirlpool on Garbodor!"

Ray leered at her. "Liepard, Sucker Punch, then Night Slash, both on that thing!" The Liepard shot forward, ramming its paw into Piplup's chest, knocking the Penguin Pokemon onto his back, then swung its other paw through the air as it became enveloped in red light, batting Piplup into the air. The unfortunate water type crashed into a pillar, stunned by the powerful impact.

Dawn rushed over to her partner. "Piplup!"

The Liepard suddenly rushed past her, crouching over the unconscious Piplup. Red and black energy swirled around its paws, and it hissed at Dawn, who slid to a stop.

Ray chuckled again. "Uh uh, girly. Since you don't seem to have the needed skills to fight properly, we'll be confiscating that little pip-squeak, so that it can be delivered to someone more, experienced."

Jake laughed. "For the right price, of course. And I wouldn't try taking out any more Pokemon. Ray's Liepard doesn't much like Pokeballs."

Dawn glared at both men in helpless frustration. Max shared in her anger. This was wrong on so many different levels. "Ralts, pull Piplup out of there with Psychic!" Again, a blue light glowed from behind Ralts' hair, and Piplup became outlined in blue light.

Liepard stabbed its paw down onto Piplup's chest. The light shattered, leaving Piplup still trapped. Ray laughed. "I'm guessing that little one is a psychic type, right? I'm afraid that there is nothing she can do against a dark type like Liepard."

Jake smirked. "Garbodor, lets wrap this up. Sludge Bomb!" Again, a fetid orb of polluted muck flew through the air towards Ralts, who instinctively froze it with Psychic.

Ray smiled. "Liepard, Shadow Ball!" A crackling violet orb shot at Ralts, who barely managed to stop it as well.

Sweat beaded her hair and brow as she struggled to concentrate. _Max. I, I can't keep this up. We need help! I need help!_

Jake's smirk turned into a frown. "Garbodor, Gunk Shot!" A powerful jet of sludge bounded the hovering Sludge Bomb, forcing it closer. Ralts exerted herself further, and the toxic mass barely stopped. She couldn't see any way out. She couldn't teleport away to dodge them, for then she couldn't stop the attacks from accidentally hitting Max. But the strain of holding them was becoming to much.

Max gritted his teeth. He hated feeling so helpless. They were at a stalemate, with the balance rapidly shifting against him.

A hollow, grating noise echoed through the air, followed by the shriek of tearing metal. Everyone turned their heads towards the caged Golett. The oddly colored Golett that had been struggling had broken a bar on either side of it, leaving its arms free. The green energy coming from its body glowed brighter, and it wrenched two more bars free. Now having the freedom to move its arms fully, it punched the ground, launching itself into the air. Withdrawing its arms, it threw itself into a furious spin, which Max recognized as a Rollout attack. The caged Golett hit the ground with a crash, and incredibly, didn't stop rolling. Instead, the metal cage screeched against the stone floor, and the Golett bounced and spun forward, crashing against other cages, before finally crashing into the base of a pillar, which toppled down on top of it.

"No!" Max shouted, and Ralts heaved the attacks away from her.

Jake growled. "Come on. We've gotta catch that guy again? Well, he's buried under that pillar, so at least he's out of the way."

Again, the hollow grating cry of the Golett ripped through the air, and the fallen pillar rose slightly. All four humans stared in astonishment as the Golett hefted the stone into the air, and threw it into the camp, smashing into the laptop and scattering the fire. The green energy leaking from its body glowed darkly, and the furious expression on its stony face made plain exactly what it thought of the poachers that had imprisoned it, as well as what it intended to do. It punched its fists together, each of which glowed a red-orange, and it smashed open the two nearest cages, freeing the Golett inside. A grated conversation was exchanged between the three Golett, and the two normal colored ones began breaking open other cages. The oddly colored Golett turned towards the crouched Liepard, and both Pokemon became outlined in green. The Liepard froze, unable to move, and the Golett launched itself into another Rollout, headed straight for Liepard.

Just before it struck, the Golett hit a small rock lying on the ground in its path. It was very small, and caused only a small bump, but it was enough to give the Golett enough air to barely miss Piplup, while still smashing into Liepard's side.

Dawn rushed over to her unconscious friend, and Max snapped out of his daze. "Looks like we've got our help, Ralts. Psychic!" Ralts turned towards the bulky Garbodor, which became outlined in blue light and lifted into the air. It accelerated to the left, crashing and ricocheting off of three different pillars, then swung into a loop and smashed into the ground like a meteor. The Liepard flew through the air, still enveloped by green light, followed by the Golett, its fist glowing like fire, which Max recognized as Dynamic Punch. He stared in awe. Dynamic Punch was a powerful fighting type attack, but was not known for its accuracy. For some reason, the light that surrounded the pair stopped Liepard from dodging.

The Liepard crashed into the ground, then unsteadily climbed to its feet, swaying and stumbling like it was drunk. Max remembered that Dynamic Punch also always caused confusion. The Golett landed on its feet, planted its fist on the ground to form a tripod, and waited.

Ray gritted his teeth. "Liepard, snap out of it and use Night Slash!" The Liepard stumbled to the side, and walked face first into a block of stone. It froze as the green light surrounding it solidified, freezing it in place. The Golett raised its fist from the ground, which became enveloped in gray-violet energy. The Golett swung its fist forward, and a shadowy fist sprang from the energy field, clocking the Liepard in the face.

Jake growled. "Get up, Garbodor, and teach that little blockhead a lesson."

Max growled in return. "I don't think so. Ralts, Energy Ball!"

Dawn glanced over at him as she cradled Piplup in her arms. "Ralts knows Energy Ball?" she whispered.

The pair of horns on Ralts' head glowed bright green, and she crossed her arms. A green light glowed between her arms and chest, which then coalesced into a shining orb of pure energy. Jumping into the air, she swung her arms outward, and the orb shot down, smashing into Garbodor's chest. The explosion buried the bulky Pokemon further into the floor. Golett jumped into another Rollout, knocking the Liepard into the crater.

Both Ray and Jake gritted their teeth, and were about to call out new attacks when an exceptionally loud grating sound was heard. Ray turned around, and his face turned stark white as he saw the veritable army of Golett assembled behind them. "Uh, Jake? I think we better beat it. This ain't gonna end well for us."

Jake glanced back and saw the reason for his partner's fear. "I think ya might be right, Ray." Both poachers returned their respective Pokemon, and made a dash for the exit.

The oddly colored Golett, however, had other ideas. Its fists became cloaked in energy, and it fired both Shadow Punches. Just before the attacks connected, the fists uncurled into shadowy hands, which then grabbed the poachers by the backs of their shirts. The Golett easily lifted them into the air, then spun around and flung them towards a gaping hole in the outer wall of the tower. Both poachers flew out of sight.

Max rushed to Dawn's side, with Ralts teleporting next to him. Dawn gently held Piplup, who finally opened his eyes. "Pip?" (What happened?)

Dawn smiled in relief. "We did it, Piplup. We beat them, and rescued the Golett."

Piplup sighed. "Pip, piplup." (That's great. Good night.) He passed out again. Dawn got to her feet, sighing heavily.

Max picked up Ralts in his arms. "We should probably get back to the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy will be able to help."

The grating sound of the Golett behind him drew his attention. Both Max and Dawn glanced over, and were surprised to see that the odd colored Golett was standing nearby, its fist planted on the ground in front of it, its geometric eyes aimed straight at Max and Ralts.

Max looked at the assembled group of Golett, then back at Dawn. "What do you think is going on now?"

Dawn shook her head. "I have no idea."

_He wants to come with us._

Max looked down at Ralts. "Huh?"

Ralts leaned her head back, her red eyes gazing out at the strange Pokemon. _He is sad. He wasn't able to stop the poachers before. He was impressed at how easily we were able to fight them, and how strong we were. He wants to become that strong, so that he will never be that helpless again. He says that no battle is required, he is already convinced of our strength._

The Golett stood up straight, and moved to stand in front of Max. It was easily as tall as he was, and twice as large. It extended its fist, as if in invitation or request. Max looked at the large, tough Pokemon, then smiled.

"Well, I did promise my sister that I would catch a Pokemon in Unova, and you were really tough." He reached around and pulled a Pokeball from his backpack. Touching the red and white sphere, the Pokeball popped open, and the Golett dissolved into white energy, which flowed into the sphere. The Pokeball snapped shut, and began rocking back and forth for a few moments, then stopped. A short _ding_ issued from the ball, and Max's smile grew wider.

"Wow. I never would have thought that this would be how I capture my first Pokemon as a trainer."

Dawn frowned at him. "You've never caught a Pokemon before?"

Max shook his head. "Nope. Ralts was my first Pokemon ever, and I had my dad to help, so she doesn't count. And Slakoth was a gift from my parents, so he doesn't count either. This Golett is the first Pokemon I've ever caught." His smile faded. "But right now, we should get back to the Pokemon Center and take care of Piplup. Hang on." He placed the collapsed Pokeball onto his belt, next to the two Pokeballs that were already there, and grabbed Dawn's wrist. Ralts concentrated, and the pair vanished in a flash of light.

_Whew. Damn this was long. I had originally intended for everybody to meet up in this chapter, but after all the set I put into it, the chapter was too long! So, next chapter will be the meet, followed by spectacular battles that will knock your heads off. _

_ In other words, brace yourselves, lads and lassies. A powerful force is about to be unleashed on your eager little minds._


	7. Chapter 7

_ Where do we feel our emotions? Science tells us that we experience emotions as a result of chemical and electrical messages in our brains, the biological equivalent to computer circuits. Philosophy and ancient beliefs state that we feel with our hearts, that one of the most vital organs in our bodies is more than just a biomechanical pump. You are free to draw your own conclusions, but I believe that our strongest emotions, our passions, fears, furies and sorrows, are felt with our whole bodies. Knowing this, what happens when two bodies come in contact? And what about the connections between us that we can't see..._

Dawn sat in the waiting area of the Pokemon Center, her heart nearly stone cold. It had been over an hour since Max and her had teleported back, Piplup having been seriously injured in a battle with a pair of Pokemon Poachers. Since entrusting Nurse Joy with her partner's well being, she had been sitting there, waiting, while alternating sorrow and fury swamped her thoughts. Sorrow at her friend's wellbeing, fury for allowing him be hurt so badly.

She shuddered as she recalled the leering looks of Ray, one of the Poachers. If Max and Ralts hadn't been there, or if Max's newly caught Golett hadn't broken free of its cage, she didn't want to think about what would have happened.

Max sat opposite of her, gazing at her helplessly. He had also opted to have Nurse Joy take care of his Ralts and Golett, though they hadn't been nearly as badly hurt as Piplup. He also didn't need Ralts to tell him that Dawn was grieving for the battle. She was an experienced trainer, and to not only be beaten so badly, but also for Piplup to have been injured so, was nearly too much for her to take.

The door to the operating room opened, and Nurse Joy stepped through, followed by a large pink and cream Pokemon. Max had been told that it was an Audino, who acted in the same capacity as the Chansey and Blissey of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh.

Dawn glanced over at Nurse Joy, then got to her feet. "Is Piplup okay?"

Nurse Joy smiled. "He'll be just fine. The injury was serious, so I recommend that he not participate in battles for a couple days, but, so long as you adhere to that, I'm expecting him to make a full recovery. May I ask how he managed to get hurt so badly?"

Dawn sat down again, her depressing emotions draining away in relief. "We were up at Dragonspiral Tower, when we ran into a couple of Pokemon Poachers. They were capturing all of the Golett in the tower. We tried to stop them and, well..."

Max took over. "Piplup took most of the hits, and got thrown into a couple of pillars. We managed to beat them though, after Golett broke out. How are Ralts and Golett doing?" he asked hopefully.

Nurse Joy had a thoughtful look on her face, Audino gazing up at her curiously. "Hmm, so that's what was going on." She blinked. "Oh, sorry. Your Ralts and Golett are fine, although Ralts is very tired. I must say, I'm surprised that you managed to catch that shiny Golett. It has a bit of a reputation."

Max stared at her. "He does? He's shiny? Whoa."

Nurse Joy giggled. "Oh yes. This particular Golett is well known around the tower, for two reasons. The first is his reputation for being a powerful protector of the tower. Most believe that it knows everything that goes on there. The second reason is its ability."

Max frowned. "I noticed that he was always surrounded by that light when he was battling. What was it?"

Nurse Joy smiled. "That was its ability, No Guard. It's very unusual, since most Golett have either Iron Fist or Klutz for their abilities. I've worked here for nearly thirty years, and that is the only Golett I've ever heard of of having that ability. It's part of what makes it so powerful, it can be very aggressive without needing to worry about its opponents moving."

Max stared at her in amazement. "I've never heard of Pokemon having three abilities."

Nurse Joy nodded. "Actually, a lot of Pokemon species do. The third ability is so extremely rare to find, however, that most people call it the hidden ability."

Max nodded. He couldn't wait to show Ash. He paused as Dawn suddenly walked past them, stopping in front of the door.

"Excuse me, but can I see Piplup now? Is he awake?" she asked.

Nurse Joy turned. "He is, actually. Go on in."

Dawn walked through the door, followed by Max. The brightly lit room was filled with beds, most of them empty. Piplup's was set off to one side, where he was talking with Ralts. Golett, whose black and grey stone skin and glowing green markings contrasting with the bright lights, stood nearby.

Dawn rushed over to the bed, nearly surprising her partner. "Piplup! I'm so happy you're okay!" She swept him up in her arms, barely keeping the presence of mind to not crush him against her chest.

Piplup stretched his small wings up to her neck. "Pip piplup lup, piplup." (I'm okay, Dawn.)

Dawn smiled happily, all traces of her previous sadness gone. "I know. Nurse Joy says that you should take a break from battles for a few days. Whaddya say?"

Piplup nodded, still feeling the faded bruises beneath his feathers. Ralts smiled, then teleported into Max's arms. He hugged her against his chest, enjoying the warmth her body imparted. True to her kind, the happy emotions in the room did wonders to her well-being. If ever there was a point where she could evolve, it would be now.

But, it wasn't quite enough. Though Ralts was happy and content, she felt no desire to make that jump. Instead, she did her best to spread her feelings around.

Nurse Joy watched the reunion with a kind smile. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Oh, Dawn, about your friend Ash..."

Dawn whirled around. "You've seen him? Where is he?" she asked forcefully.

Nurse Joy shook her head. "No, I haven't seen him, though I did get a call from Brycen, the Gym Leader. He said that he had a new challenger, and to expect him to drop by the Pokemon Center later today. He seemed almost eager for the match, and that it would be a slightly different battle then others he had faced. Maybe he's battling your friend?"

Dawn rushed out the door without saying a word, although Nurse Joy did catching something that sounded like "Yes!" Max grinned in anticipation and slight embarrassment.

"Sorry about that. She's been looking forward to seeing Ash for a while. See ya later!" He returned Golett to its Pokeball, then hurried after Dawn.

It took Dawn only a couple minutes to reach the Gym. Hurriedly knocking on the door, she was nearly jumping in anticipation. _I'll finally get to see Ash!_ She froze. _Shit, what am I going to say? It's been months, and he has no idea that I'm here. What am I going to do?_

Max managed to catch up to her just as the door opened. A man stepped through, a different person from before. "Can I help you? Brycen is currently taking a challenger, so you can't battle him yourself."

Dawn shook her head. "No, we're not here to challenge him. The challenger he has right now, does he happen to have a Pikachu?"

The man frowned. "Pikachu?" He rubbed his chin. "Small Pokemon, mostly yellow, red cheeks, tail shaped like a lightning bolt?"

Dawn nearly jumped again. "Yes! That's Pikachu!"

The man smiled. "Yeah. The Trainer called himself Ash. Why, do you know him?"

Dawn was speechless. It had been over a month since she had made the decision to find Ash again, and now that she was so close to seeing him again, her brain simply deserted her.

Max saved her. "Would you mind if we watched the battle? Is it still going on?"

The Gym attendant frowned. "Hmm. Normally, Brycen doesn't like observers. But..." He glanced over the pair. He didn't recognize the Pokemon they were holding. "...You look like you've come a long way, and you seem to know Ash, so I think Brycen will allow it. Follow me."

Dawn and Max followed the attendant down the corridor. It was completely silent, each wrapped up in their thoughts. Dawn could hardly believe that she was finally here, that she was about to see Ash again after all the time that they had been apart. She started fidgeting with her hair and clothes, suddenly self-conscious. She knew that Ash didn't much care how she looked, he hardly cared about how he himself looked, but she couldn't help herself.

Max was eager to see his friend again. He wondered what Pokemon he was about to see. He figured that Ash would have done the same thing that he had done when he came to Hoenn, and later Sinnoh, bringing only Pikachu with him, so he was bound to have some brand new Pokemon, not to mention the Pokemon that the Gym Leader would have, as well as Ash's new friends Iris and Cilan.

A dim explosion reached their ears, and the attendant grinned. "I'll admit, this Ash guy is pretty skilled. He's managed to get Brycen down to Beartic, which is better than most people have managed. But I doubt that he'll be able to win. Brycen didn't get to where he is by being a slacker."

Dawn's eyes narrowed, and her mouth set into a grim line. "You've obviously never seen Ash battle before. No one battles like him. He thrives on a challenge. You might think you have him against the ropes, but that's when he hits hardest." Her eyes took on a flinty appearance, her determination and conviction clearly evident. "Believe me, however tough this Brycen is, Ash has faced tougher."

The attendant glanced back at her, then shrugged, dismissing her words.

They walked through the open doorway of the corridor, and Dawn and Max gazed down. Her heart caught in her throat as she took in the scene.

On one side of the field stood an older man in blue robes. His face was obscured by a mask, and his posture spoke of countless battles and experience. Several feet in front of him stood a tall white bear-like Pokemon. It was over eight feet in height, with wide set hips and stocky limbs. Its paws were easily bigger than most shovel blades, and three icicles descended from its chin like a beard. It roared in challenge, then settled down onto all four legs, its black eyes staring across the battlefield.

Several feet away from the large Pokemon, Pikachu was crouched, his ears flat against his head. His tail twitched in the air, the only response he made to challenge before him. Fearless determination was stamped on his face.

Standing further behind Pikachu, was Ash himself. His signature ball cap, red and white with a blue Pokeball design on the front, was pulled tight over his messy black hair. A blue and white zipped hoodie masked his torso, and his legs were clad in dark gray jeans. Red and white shoes enveloped his feet. A grim look was on his face, and even from the halfway across the arena, Dawn could see the determined fire in his eyes. Despite the new clothes he wore, he was still the same Ash that she knew, the same Ash that she had come to love with all her heart and soul.

While Dawn was absorbed in looking at Ash, Max was eyeing the two people sitting in the stands. One was a tall green haired man, dressed in an elegant suit like a waiter. The other was an older teenage girl, dressed in a simple dark cream frock. Her purple hair was done in three massive bunches. A small green Pokemon, with two small tusks protruding from its mouth, stood on the edge of the railing.

Ash glared across at Brycen. There was no denying it, he was tough. Scraggy had managed to overcome his Vanillite, and Pignite had almost easily defeated the Cryogonal. Now, he was down to Brycen's powerful Beartic. The Brine attack had caught Pignite by surprise, wiping out the fire type. Scraggy was in no condition to fight, having been crushed by the Cryogonal. So, he had chosen to use Pikachu. He had considered using Krokorok or Boldore, but after seeing that Brine, and already knowing Beartic's Icicle Crash and Aerial Ace attacks, he had decided that he needed someone who didn't have some sort of type disadvantage, and had the power and versatility to control the battle. Pikachu's speed, strong electric attacks, and super-effective Iron Tail was exactly what he needed.

Brycen smiled across at his challenger. "So, Ash. What'll it be? Pikachu and Beartic are evenly matched, and I'm eager to see what else you have in store. Show me your strength!"

Ash grinned. "Don't think that we're going to be frightened off by Beartic's power. I haven't come all this way to wimp out. Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu flexed the sacks of electricity in his cheeks, causing sparks of electricity to burst through his skin and fur. More sparks and jolts shot out, until he was surrounded by a thick field of electricity. Leaping into the air, he concentrated the field into a single bolt, which blasted through the air towards Beartic.

Brycen smiled. "Good. Beartic, Frost Breath!" Beartic reared onto his hind legs, and drew in a sharp breath. Releasing it, a bitterly cold wind erupted from his open mouth, laced with dozens of glittering ice crystals.

The two attacks, electric and ice, collided, each striving to overpower the other. The stalemate lasted for a few seconds, then both Pokemon ceased their attacks. Pikachu easily landed on all fours, the adrenaline pumping through his small body enhancing the thrill of a challenge. Beartic dropped down to his front paws as well, gazing across with beady black eyes at his much smaller opponent.

Brycen's smile grew slightly wider. "Excellent power, but you will need more than that to overcome our experience. Icicle Crash!" Beartic reared up again, and blew another cold, ice-laden wind. This time, the tiny crystals merged together, rapidly forming large icicles as thick as Beartic's arm. Gravity took hold, and the heavy icicles turned their sharp points toward the earth.

Ash quietly chuckled. He had been thinking about how best to counter this attack. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Pikachu tensed, then leaped forward, blurring slightly as he rushed, a trail of white light tailing him. Moving at speeds far exceeding anything that Beartic could ever hope for, Pikachu bobbed and weaved between the falling icicles. Each block of ice crashed into the ground with a heavy thud, splitting open the ground with their impact, and each missed the agile Mouse Pokemon by a scarce breath.

Brycen and Beartic looked on in surprise as Pikachu made it through the perilous obstacle course without a scratch. "Impressive." Brycen commented.

Ash grinned. "Now, Electro Ball!" Pikachu leaped into the air, still moving at breath-taking speed, and threw himself in a forward spin. Electricity crackled around his tail, gathering into an orb of electric energy. Enhanced by Pikachu's accelerated body, the orb was whipped from his tail, and smashed into Beartic's chest, the powerful impact offsetting the Freezing Pokemon's balance, sending him sprawling onto his back with a pained roar.

Pikachu landed nearby, then dashed back to stand in front of Ash, pleased but wary. Experience had long since taught him that opponents, especially large and powerful ones like Beartic, seldom appreciated being made fools of.

Beartic rolled onto his paws, shook his head, then turned and roared at Pikachu. Brycen chuckled. "Excellent work, Ash. It's not often that I get a challenger like you. But you will not find us so easily beaten. Frost Breath!" Again, Beartic blew a bitterly cold wind towards Pikachu.

Ash smiled. "Dodge it!" Pikachu leaped aside, easily avoiding the chilled air.

Brycen thrust out his hand. "Aerial Ace!" Beartic tensed, compressing the muscles in his hind legs, then lunged forward, becoming enveloped in streaks of white light as he stretched his lanky arms forward. He shot through the air, rocketing straight towards Pikachu.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

Brycen smiled. "Beartic, Icicle Crash!"

Pikachu leaped towards Beartic, his lightning bolt tail becoming covered in a silver metallic sheen. Beartic opened his mouth and blew, more thick icicles shooting through the air at an accelerated rate. Taken by surprise, Pikachu was forced to slash at a frenzied pace, trying to break the icicles as they came. Not being able to maneuver nearly quickly enough in the air, several icicles battered his body, throwing him backwards. Beartic then slammed into him, trapping Pikachu beneath his bulky body. Shifting quickly, he pressed down with one paw, leaving Pikachu nearly helpless.

Ash ground his teeth in frustration. It never ceased to surprise him how quickly a battle to turn from advantage to disadvantage. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Brycen chuckled. "Brine!"

Beartic lifted his paw and blasted a thick stream of blue-green sea water from his mouth into Pikachu's face, breaking the electric type's concentration. Satisfied that no attack was forthcoming, Beartic once again trapped Pikachu beneath his heavy paw.

Ash clenched his fists, irritated with himself. "Electro Ball!" Spitting salt from his mouth, Pikachu glared up at his bulky opponent. Electricity gathered at the tip of Pikachu's tail, which he swung upward and slammed into Beartic's elbow. Roaring as the strong electric attack spasmed through his arm, Beartic reared backwards.

"Get out of there! Quick Attack!" A fast as a bolt of lightning from a storm cloud, Pikachu rolled onto his front and shot out from beneath the large Freezing Pokemon. "Iron Tail, now!" Racing up to the wall of the battlefield, Pikachu easily jumped up onto the small ledge at the top, then turned and launched himself into the air again, his tail again glowing in a silvery metallic light. Mentally, he nearly did a double-take.

_Did I see Dawn up there? No, she's in Hoenn, she couldn't be here. Come on, focus on the battle! You know better than to get distracted!_ He scolded himself, glaring down at the large white bear beneath him.

Brycen simply smiled. "Beartic, Brine." Beartic rolled onto his back, and shot the stream of water up at the air-born Pikachu. The blast caught him full in the stomach, knocking the wind from his lungs and hurtling him into the air and down the battlefield, crashing into the dirt.

Dawn bit her lip as she muffled Piplup's excited cheer. Max looked at her oddly. "Aren't you gonna cheer for him? I thought that's what you said you always did?"

Dawn gave him a nervous look. "I don't want him to know I'm here yet. I want to see how he battles when I'm not here. Besides, I don't here you cheering for him either."

Max shrugged. "I know that Ash can take care of himself in a battle. Besides, I don't want him to get distracted. This match up looks pretty even. Still, Ash is bound to have something up his sleeve."

Dawn nodded, anxiously bitting her lip again. She still didn't know how she was going to tell Ash that she was here, or how she was going to tell him that she loved him. At this point, she didn't know how she was going to do anything. Her heart thudded a heavy rhythm in her chest. Piplup pecked her hand, and she scarcely noticed. Her eyes were looked on Ash's face, hooded in grim determination.

Ash grunted. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Brycen smiled. "Aerial Ace!"

Both Pokemon shot towards each other and collided, Beartic's greater size and weight winning out, bowling Pikachu backwards. "Now Frost Breath!" The chilled air propelled Pikachu faster, rolling him clear into the wall. Ash gritted his teeth. He had over six years of battling experience, and he was stumped.

Iris and Cilan gazed anxiously out from the sidelines.

"Ash isn't doing so well. Pikachu just can't seem to get past Beartic." Iris commented sadly, shivering slightly. Her fear of ice types was well known. It had alleviated a little after being trapped with a Vannilluxe for several hours, but not by a whole lot.

Cilan rubbed his chin. "It's true, from Ash's side, the flavor of the match is rapidly growing sour. Brycen is a very skilled Gym Leader, and has clear control of the match. I'm afraid that, if Ash doesn't pull himself together soon, he may end up losing this match.

Ash knelt next to Pikachu, helping his friend back to his feet. "You feeling okay Pikachu? You think you can keep going?" Pikachu leaned against Ash's hand, then shook his head rapidly. "Pika, pikachu pichu!" (I'm still good. We're not done yet.) He glared stubbornly at the bulky Beartic.

Ash bowed his head. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Pikachu. I can't think straight." Pikachu turned his gaze to his human partner. "Pika, pikapi, pikachupika!" (Come on Ash, we can't give up!)

Brycen folded his arms. "Do you want to continue, Ash? Or are you prepared to end this?"

Ash slowly raised to his feet, his head still bowed.

Dawn bit her lip anxiously. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Her heart thudded faster, and she couldn't hold herself back. "Come on, Ash!"

Ash froze, and his heart lurched in his chest, slamming into his ribs. _What? _

Iris and Cilan turned around and stared up the stands. Two people were standing at the top walkway. One was a young boy in a green t-shirt, sand-colored shorts and glasses. A strange, white Pokemon with a green head and pink horns was crouched on his backpack. Standing next to them a pretty teenage girl, wearing a black sleeveless shirt, pink skirt, and white beanie hat. A small blue bird-like Pokemon was held against her chest.

Ash turned his gaze upwards, and his eyes fastened on her bright blue ones. His heart crashed against his chest again, and time seemed to stop for him. His vision tunneled, until everything was excluded but her face.

_Dawn? What? Why is she here? How did she get here?_

Dawn gazed down at him, completely absorbed in his brown eyes. Surprise was marked across his face, though his eyes seemed almost lifeless. _Where are you, Ash? Where's the guy I remember?_

Ash was completely dumbstruck. _Man, her eyes are just like I remember. Deep blue, just like the ocean..._Something clicked in his head. _Ocean? Salt water...wait..._

Dawn saw a spark suddenly light in his eyes, and a familiar grin spread across his face. It was like a switch had been thrown, and suddenly he was there. All of him. _Yes! Ash! _

Ash turned and grinned at Brycen. "Give up? Nah, I'm just warming up." Pikachu smiled and clenched his small fist, then bounded back out onto the battle field. "Pika, pikapikachu!" (Heads up, ya big lug!)

Iris stared at the girl, then at Ash, then back up at the girl. "Is that...Dawn? I thought that Ash had said she was in Hoenn? What's she doing here?"

Cilan simply shook his head, then returned his attention to the battle. "I don't know, but I think a new ingredient was introduced to our battle. This should be exciting."

Max smirked. "I thought you said that you didn't want Ash to know you were here yet?"

Dawn waved her hand. "Shush."

Ash clenched his fist. "Let's rev this up, Pikachu. Thunderbolt!" Pikachu gathered his energy, and sent a crackling blast of electricity towards Beartic.

Brycen smiled. "I was hoping you weren't done yet. Frost Breath, then Icicle Crash!" Beartic reared up, sending another blast of frigid air, distorting the crackling Thunderbolt. Sucking in a second breath, he blew another volley of icicles towards Pikachu.

Ash grinned, a warm familiar feeling growing inside him. For the first time in a while, a fire was fanned in his mind, drawing his fighting spirit straight to the surface. "Pikachu, rapid fire Electro Balls, now!" Pikachu fastened his gaze on the descending icicles as more electric energy built up along his tail. Launching into a frenetic spin, he sent ball after ball into the air, each colliding with an icicle, reducing them to a gentle shower of ice crystals. "Come on, Brycen. You'll need something better than that." Ash taunted.

Brycen smirked. "Don't tempt fate, Ash. It will be the end of you. Aerial Ace!" Beartic lunged forward.

Ash smiled widely. Just as he hoped. "Pikachu, you know exactly what we need." Pikachu nodded. He hadn't been seeing things when he had seen Dawn the first time. And seeing her again, he had a pretty good idea of what Ash was thinking. He fastened his gaze on the rapidly approaching Beartic.

"Now, Quick Attack!" Pikachu shot forward, trusting completely in what he hoped was an unfamiliar strategy for Brycen. The gap between Pikachu and Beartic closed almost too fast, such were the speeds that the two Pokemon were moving.

Brycen frowned. _What is he up to? He knows what happened last time. _

At the last second, Pikachu threw himself into a sideways spin, lifting himself a little higher into the air. The distance was minuscule, but enough.

Ash grinned. "Thunderbolt!" Pikachu concentrated as he spun a hairsbreadth above the speeding Beartic, and multiple jolts of electricity sprang from his body, striking Beartic's back. Beartic roared in pain as he crashed into the ground, electricity crackling around his body, causing his muscles to twitch and spasm. Pikachu broke out of his spin, backflipping into a low stance as he stared across at the paralysed Freezing Pokemon.

Brycen raised an eyebrow. "Well. That's new. I confess, I have not seen a strategy like that. It has an...interesting flair...to it. May I ask where you learned it?"

Ash simply grinned at the Gym Leader. "From a friend."

Dawn gazed down at the battle in sheer delight. There was the Ash that she remembered. Always optimistic, always ready for a battle, almost never at a loss, and always unpredictable.

Brycen shrugged. "Well, in any case, this battle is far from over. Beartic, Icicle Crash!" Beartic jerked and shuddered as jolts of electricity continued to ripple around his body, growling as his muscles refused to respond.

Ash smiled. "You're right. We're not done either. Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Pikachu leaped into the air, and hurled another sphere of electricity. The crackling yellow orb smashed into Beartic's shoulder, forcing him down closer to the ground.

Brycen gritted his teeth. "Brine, now!" Beartic growled as his limbs finally obeyed him. He rose up on his hind legs and fired the powerful stream of water.

Ash's smile shifted slightly. "Alright. Thanks."

Iris frowned. "Did I just hear him right? Did he _thank_ Brycen?"

Max folded his arms in confusion. "What is Ash doing now?"

Dawn smiled. "What he always does. Be Ash."

Ash held out his hand. "Pikachu, lets show him just what we're made of. Intercept with Thunderbolt!" Pikachu grinned. Another crackling field of energy surrounded him, and he blasted the oncoming stream of water.

The bolt of electricity and column of water struck each other. At the point of contact, each tiny particle of water become supercharged, and electricity blasted down the stream, smashing straight into Beartic's face. The powerful impact threw him backwards, carving a shallow trench through the dirt.

Ash smiled. "Now, Quick Attack to the wall!" Pikachu tensed, then shot forward, shooting past Brycen before the older man could blink. In one easy bound, he leaped to the top of the wall, then into the air. Ash's smile grew wider. "Iron Tail!" A flash of light lit the air, and Pikachu descended straight down on Beartic, his tail gleaming with metallic silver.

Brycen's eyes widened. "Frost Breath, now!" Beartic groaned as he rolled over and raised himself onto his paws, shaking his head to try and dispel the buzzing sound that ricocheted around his skull. Pikachu spun around in the air, bringing his metallic tail swinging down like an axe straight between Beartic's shoulders. Allowing his momentum to carrying him forward, he leaped off of Beartic's head, twisting in the air to land facing his opponent as Beartic collapsed to ground. The last thing the Freezing Pokemon saw before he passed out was the determined grin on the face of an opponent almost an eighth his size.

The referee raised his arm and pointed at Ash. "Pikachu is the victor, which means Ash wins the match!" Pikachu turned and jumped into Ash's arms. "Pikachu pikapi!" (We did it Ash)

Ash hugged his partner tightly. "Alright! Thanks a bunch Pikachu!" He laughed, then turned and raised his eyes to where Dawn was standing. She was waving at him, and he waved back. He noticed the boy standing next to her. _Wait, is that Max? With Ralts? What are they doing here?_ His smile grew wider. _I guess that Max is a trainer now. And that means I've got another battle to look forward to._ His gaze switched back to Dawn. _First things first. I've got some things to figure out._

Dawn smiled as she watched the blue robed man approach Ash. "I knew he was going to win. There was no way Ash was going to lose a Gym battle like this."

Max chuckled. "Yeah. He always does figure out someway to pull through." He turned and headed for the exit. "Come on, we'll meet up with him on his way out."

Several minutes later, Ash was sliding his new Freeze Badge into its slot in his badge case. He smiled as walked down the corridor, Cilan and Iris close behind him. _Nearly there. Just one more to go._

"So, Ash, that girl that was there watching you, was that..."

Ash paused, then looked over his shoulder at Iris. "Was that Dawn? Yeah, that was her. I have no idea why or when she got here."

"Well, you could just ask me, Ash."

Ash stopped full and turned back the front. Dawn stood in the corridor opening, her arms crossed as she held Piplup to her chest. She smiled at him, and his heart thumped against his ribs again. _Man, why does that keep happening?_

Ash grinned. "Hey Dawn. It's great to see you again." He frowned. "But, what are you doing here? You're mom said you were competing in contests in Hoenn."

Piplup slipped out of Dawn's arms, landing smoothly on his feet. Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder, and the two Pokemon launched into a rapid conversation. Both spoke too quickly for their trainers to understand, an ability built from close familiarity with each other.

Dawn's smile widened. "I was, but my Pokemon were working so hard, that I decided that we deserved a bit of a break from contests. Besides, I heard about the World Junior Tournament that Unova was hosting, and I knew that you would never pass up an opportunity like that."

Ash's face nearly glowed in excitement. "World Tournament, huh? How did you hear about it? League battles and Contests don't usually mix like that."

Dawn laughed. "True. I was talking to Professor Rowan, and he mentioned it. He also mentioned that Cynthia was going to be participating."

Ash perked up slightly. "Cynthia? Whoa."

Iris tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh, 'scuse me? Did you forget about someones?"

Ash blushed slightly. "Whoops. Sorry. Dawn, these are my friends Iris and Cilan. Iris, Cilan, this Dawn."

Cilan smiled at his friend's absentmindedness, and bowed slightly. "Pleasure to meet you Dawn. I am one of the Gym Leaders of Striaton City, and a Pokemon Connoisseur."

Iris waved. "Hi. I'm a dragon trainer, and this is my partner, Axew." Axew poked his head out from Iris's hair, then jumped down next to Pikachu. Rapid introductions were done between the three Pokemon, then Pikachu and Piplup returned to their conversation, with Axew looking between the two with evident confusion.

Dawn smiled. "Nice to meet you both. I'm a Pokemon Coordinator."

"Hey, don't tell me you forgot about me already."

Ash frowned, then broke into a wide grin as a young boy walked around beside Dawn, a small white Pokemon standing on his backpack. "I thought I saw standing up there with Dawn. How've you been Max?"

Max smiled as he adjusted his glasses. "I've been doing great since I finally became a trainer. And I still remember your promise, Ash." He turned and looked towards Iris and Cilan. "I heard your names, so it's nice to meet you. I'm Max, from the Hoenn region. I'm just a Pokemon trainer, and this is my partner, Ralts." Ralts tilted her head back to peer at the newcomers, then abruptly teleported onto Iris's shoulder. The dragon trainer nearly jumped, and Ralts teleported to Cilan's shoulder, taking fast emotional readings as she did so, then made one last teleport to stand with the other Pokemon, easily inserting herself into the mysterious conversation.

Cilan smiled. "My my, that is an interesting Pokemon. From Hoenn?"

Max nodded. "Yep. She's my first Pokemon, and my best friend."

Cilan nodded. "Hmm. If you wouldn't mind, Max, could you and I have a battle? As a Pokemon Connoisseur, it's my job to evaluate the connection between trainer and Pokemon. I haven't had a chance to do an evaluation of such an unusual Pokemon since I first met Ash."

Max looked at him. "So, you want to evaluate us, but you also want to battle?"

Cilan smiled. "But of course. When better to evaluate trainer and Pokemon than in a battle?"

Max smiled in return. "I guess you're right. Alright, you're on." He turned his gaze to Ash. "But first, you promised me a battle, Ash."

Ash smiled. "Sorry Max, but not today. My Pokemon, especially Scraggy, need rest. Besides, it's getting late, and we've got a lot of catching up to do."

Dawn glanced down at the ring of Pokemon at their feet. "Speaking of catching up, I wonder what they're talking about?"

Pikachu's face was serious. "Pika, pikachu pikapika pichupi pikapi?" (So, Dawn really does love Ash?)

Piplup nodded. "Pip piplup luplup piplup." (Yep, it's true, she's finally admitted it to herself.)

Ralts placed her hand on Pikachu's shoulder. "Ral, ralralts ra?" (What about Ash?)

Pikachu shook his head. "Pi pikapi pikachu pichupichuka." (No, Ash is still as dense as always.)

Axew hugged himself. "Axew, axax axewew?" (So, what are you gonna do?)

Piplup turned to the Tusk Pokemon. "Pippip piplup pip luppip?" (What about your trainer?)

Axew shook his head. "Axew axew ewewax axew. Axewaxew ewax." (No, she doesn't like him like that. They're just friends.)

Ralts nodded, gently folding her hands. "Ralra ralts ra ra." (I agree. She seems more like a little sister than someone in love.)

Pikachu sighed. "Pika pika pikachu. Pika pikachupi chu chu pikapi? Pika pichuka." (I don't know what to do. How are we gonna get Ash to figure it out? He's gonna deny it.)

Ralts shook her head. "Ral ralts. Ralts ralralra ralts rara ral. Ra ralralts." (We do nothing. The only way he will ever accept it is if he finds out for himself. There is nothing we can do.) She abruptly teleported to Max's shoulder. _Can we go sleep now? There are too many confusing emotions here._

Max smiled. "Sorry guys, but Ralts is pretty tired. Maybe we could battle tomorrow?" _What were you guys talking about?_

Ralts laid her head tiredly against Max's. _Just how to deal with this situation._

Cilan smiled and dipped his head. "I suspect that we could all use some rest. We have a room at the Pokemon Center. Why don't we grab some sleep, and then sort out everything tomorrow?"

Ash and Dawn both nodded. "Yeah, my guys really need their sleep. Come on Pikachu." Ash held out his arm, and the Mouse Pokemon bounded up to settle on his shoulder. "Us too. Piplup is still bruised after that battle at the tower. Plus, it'll be nice to sleep in a real bed for once." Dawn picked up Piplup in her arms, who winced slightly as one of his bruises stretched.

Ash looked at her oddly as Axew jumped back into Iris's hair. "What battle?"

Dawn smiled coyly. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

Later that night, Ash and Dawn were each laying in their respective beds, separated by a single wall. Each were warmed by the slumbering Pokemon next to them, though neither were anywhere close to sleeping themselves.

Ash sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. _I can't believe she's actually here. I should be happy to see her again. I am, but there's more to it than that, I just know it, but I can't see it._ He smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. _Come on, Ketchum! You're good at figuring out Pokemon, so why can't you figure yourself out!_

Sighing again, he rubbed his forehead. _I'm never going to get to sleep like this. _

Dawn sighed unhappily as she stroked Piplup's head. _What am I going to do? How am I going to tell him that I love him? What will he say? Does he love me? Am I even sure that I love him? Could it just be a crush, and go away later? Urrgh, why can't I figure out my own head?_

A soft thump reached her ears, and she raised her head. _That sounded like a door closing. _Carefully maneuvering so as to not wake up Piplup, she crept out the door of the room that she shared with Max, and saw to her surprise Ash walking down the corridor. _Where's he going?_

Quietly closing her own door, she padded down the hallway after him. Eventually, she found him sitting on the bench next to the Pokemon Center's battlefield. She watched him for a moment, wondering what he was up to.

Ash sighed as he stared up at the sky. _Why does Dawn seem to be the source of all my problems? What is so special about her? I feel weird when I think about her, I feel unhappy when I don't. I hate to admit it, but until I saw her today, I think I would have lost that Gym battle. I've never been this...off._

"Ash?"

Jerking, he turned his head and saw Dawn stand by the wall. "Dawn? What are you doing up?"

Dawn frowned at him. "I could ask you the same question. What's bugging you?"

He sighed. "I don't know. I've just, had a lot on my mind recently. How about you? It's not like you to stay up so late."

She sat down next to him. "Kinda the same as you, actually. I've, been having some new thoughts recently. Found new ways to look at things." She turned, and saw him looking at her strangely, with an intensity that she hadn't seen before. "Um, are you okay?"

Ash blinked, then averted his gaze. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine." _Moonlight or sun, she looks amazing._ "So, you mentioned that Cynthia was coming here, for the Tournament?"

Dawn looked at him for a moment. _That was...different._ "Yeah, she was representing Sinnoh, since she's the Champion."

Ash nodded. "I wonder if Wallace is going to come too. You know, since he's the Hoenn Champion."

Dawn turned her gaze skyward, watching as the twinkling stars slowly multiplied in the sky. "I don't know." A thought occurred to her. "Hey Ash?"

He glanced at her as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Yeah?"

"Who's the Kanto Champion? And Johto? I mean, you spent a year in Johto, and you're originally from Kanto, so who's the Champion's of those regions?"

Ash thought for a moment. "I...I don't know. I've never met them. I've heard they're insanely powerful though."

Dawn smiled. "I bet you could beat them, if you challenged them. I've hardly ever seen you lose, and even Champion's have to have off days."

Ash grinned. "Probably, but I don't want to battle a Champion on their off day. I wanna beat them at their prime, with my closest friends and partner. And Pikachu, of course. There's no way I would ever leave him out of a battle like that." He sighed. "But, not yet. I've got too many other people to beat first."

Dawn nodded. "Me too. I came so close to being Top Coordinator. I want a battle like that again, you know? Something that I can throw everything I have into, to show everything I've learned and fought for." She smiled. "A real battle of the ages, you know?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah. Something that nobody would ever forget." He fell silent for a moment. "Hey, you know what would be crazy?"

Dawn turned and looked at him. "What?"

Ash grinned at her. "If you and I entered that World Tournament, and we both got into the finals. Can you imagine how that battle would go?"

Dawn laughed. "That wouldn't be fair, Ash. You know everything that my Pokemon are capable of, I only know Pikachu. You'd have an unfair advantage."

Ash chuckled as he shook his head. "No, I wouldn't. You've trained since I left Sinnoh, found new ways to battle, to appeal. I might have new Pokemon, but I also know you. You're just as unpredictable as me."

Dawn pondered his words. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She giggled. "It would be an insane battle. Worlds Top Coordinator against the World's Pokemon Master? I would win, of course."

Ash burst out laughing. "Nah, I'd win. Contests are your thing, but battles are mine. In an all out battle like they've got, there's no way you could ever beat me."

Dawn glared at him. "Don't count me out just because I do Contests, Ketchum. I could beat your ass in a battle, and you're just too scared to admit it."

Ash glared back at her. "I'm not scared of anything, Berlitz. You're just too full of yourself to think that you could lose."

Each glared at the other, the tension almost crackling like electricity.

Both of them cracked at the same time, and burst out laughing, the tension draining away like a popped balloon. Ash fell of the bench as he clutched his stomach, and tears began streaming out of Dawn's eyes as she laid down on the bench.

Finally, the laughter began to subside. Ash picked himself up from the ground, and Dawn wiped her eyes clear.

"You know what Dawn?" Ash barely managed to choke out.

Dawn struggled not to collapse into another giggling fit. "Yeah?"

"I don't care who would win between us. I'd just try to have as much fun as possible." Ash helped her push herself, then sat down next to her.

Dawn's heart fluttered slightly, and she wasn't sure if she was going to start laughing or crying again. "Me too, Ash. And it would be a pretty incredible battle. You and me, we'd make your last battle with Paul look like a pair of squabbling Starly."

Both of them sighed as they stared up at the sky. Neither noticed the fact that Dawn's outer thigh was pressed Ash's, or that they were almost leaning against each other.

Finally, Ash stood up. "Well, we should probably get some sleep. Max is gonna want that battle I promised him tomorrow, and I imagine that Cilan is gonna want to battle you as well. Plus, I gotta start heading for my last Gym badge, wherever it is."

Dawn nodded as she walked beside him. "Yeah. So, just out of curiosity, what are they like? Your friends, I mean."

Ash thought for a moment. "Iris is pretty nice, though her teasing can get pretty tiring. She cares a lot about Pokemon, and she knows a lot about natural medicine. There's been quite a few times when a Pokemon has gotten sick, and she's whipped something together from plants and berries that she's found in the forest. She's kinda like Brock in that way. She's also incredibly passionate about dragon Pokemon, even though her only dragon is Axew.

Dawn smiled. "I imagine that she's really eager to meet Gible then. Have you told her about him?"

Ash shook his head. "Nah. I haven't really told either of them about my other Pokemon. I'll bet that she'll go nuts over Charizard too. He may not be an actual dragon type, but he might as well be. As for Cilan...he's different, I'll say that. Normally he's pretty calm, collected. He's also an amazing cook, honestly, I'm not sure who's better, Cilan or Brock."

Dawn glanced at him. "Don't tell me he's got a huge family too."

Ash chuckled. "No, his siblings are limited to his twin brothers, Chili and Cress. The three of them all acted as the Gym Leaders of the Striaton Gym, which is also the best restaurant in the city. That's where he gets his cooking expertise." He stopped for a moment. "Oh, and don't get him started on trains. Cilan says he's a Pokemon Connoisseur, but he's an expert in a lot of things, and he's insanely passionate about all of them. Trains, fishing, police work, it gets kinda freaky sometimes. You'll be in for a treat tomorrow when he evaluates Max and Ralts. It's Cilan at his weirdest, but I promise you, it's worth experiencing. He really knows what he's talking about."

Dawn smiled again. "Sounds neat. I'm looking forward to it."

Ash glanced at her. "So, how exactly did you meet up with Max?"

Dawn frowned. "Oh, I actually ran into him by accident. You remember Cassidy and...what was that other guy's name? Baxter? Barney?"

Ash shrugged. "I dunno. I've mostly dealt with Jesse, James and Meowth. They were enough for me."

Dawn nodded. "Anyway, I heard them trying to steal Max's Pokemon. He was losing pretty badly, so I stepped in to help. Cassidy and...whatever his name was, got sent flying, I stayed with Max until we got to a Pokemon Center, and we've travelled together since."

Ash glanced at her quizzically. "And you just happened to be traveling here?"

Dawn glanced aside, hoping to hide her sudden blush. "Well, he heard that I was coming here, and that I would likely run into you, and he wanted to have that battle that you promised him, so he tagged along."

Ash looked at her strangely. "Uh-huh." _Something else is up. Dawn's never acted like this before._ "Well, here's our rooms. Hope you sleep well Dawn."

Dawn smiled as she opened the door to her room. "You too. Goodnight Ash."

Ash hesitated in the doorway of the room that he shared with Cilan and Iris. "Uh, Dawn?"

Dawn slipped her head out her door, frowning. "Yeah."

Ash shuffled his feet, suddenly awkward and uncomfortable. "Listen, I, uh, I'm really glad you're here. It's great seeing you again. Really." _Man, why is this suddenly so hard? What's wrong with me?_

Dawn stepped back out into the hallway, hoping that he couldn't see her sudden blush in the dim light. "Oh, sure, no problem. It's great seeing you too. I, uh, kinda missed you, you know, after you left." _Come on, Dawn, now's your chance! Tell him!_

Both of them stood awkwardly in the hallway, the suddenly uncomfortable silence stretching out. Finally, Ash sighed. "We should probably get some sleep. We've got a lot to do tomorrow."

Dawn nodded weakly, feeling like her knees were going to collapse. "Yeah. See ya tomorrow. G'night?"

Ash smiled half-heartedly. "G'night."

As each of them crawled into their respective beds, both were thinking the exact same thought. _You stupid moron._

_Oh, the angsty romantic tension. I am cruel, so cruel. One down, two to go. Before we can have the ultimatum that we have all been waiting patiently for (I believe that anticipation is one of the better parts of romance, next to the romance itself, and it is a real doozy, I promise you won't be disappointed), we must have epic battlez! I'm going to enjoy this._

_ Also, I currently have plans for two more chapters, but if anyone wants me to continue after that, please let me know! Send me a message, include it in a review, do something! Any ideas are greatly appreciated, I am only one man!_


	8. Chapter 8

_ How many ways can people communicate? The majority of people tend to rely on one form of communication, be it speech, sign language, special code, or what have you. What is truly fascinating, is all the different ways that we communicate in a conversation. When you read between the lines, and view the spoken word as only one part of the full conversation, you see the words that go unspoken, the real dance of sight, sound, and touch. The question is, what are we saying..._

"Alright Oshawott, Water Gun!"

"Pachirisu, Spark!"

Iris blearily opened her eyes to the sound of rushing water intermixed with a loud chattering noise. She could feel Axew shift beside her, eager to return to his sleep and battle-filled dreams. Groaning, she raised her head and peered out the window.

Ash stood in a small field near the Pokemon Center, his face determined. In front of him, standing on opposing sides, stood Oshawott and Scraggy. Arrayed behind him was the rest of his team, consisting of Boldore, Snivy, and Pignite. Pikachu remained in his customary place beside Ash.

Iris frowned as she checked the clock. _The sun's barely up, and Ash is already training? What's gotten in to him?_ "Uugh, come on Axew. Lets see what's gotten into our suddenly grown up trainer." Axew blinked and rubbed his eyes. "Ax?" (Huh?)

Cilan smiled as he watched the two trainers in their respective practice. Ash was exhibiting a determination and enthusiasm that Cilan hadn't seen since their first battle. Dawn, who was a Pokemon Connoisseur's dream with her unknown Pokemon, showed similar steel and fire to her style.

The differences between them were remarkable. Ash's focus on battling was a familiar sight, having his Pokemon attack different targets with various moves, occasionally pitting them against each other to simulate a real battle, trying to find new methods and strategies to secure victory. Dawn, markedly, focused on combining and disseminating her attacks, seeking new ways to perform. It was an intriguing and refreshing change for both the Gym Leader and Connoisseur in Cilan.

And yet, the similarities were equally amazing. Both Ash and Dawn strove to make full use of their Pokemon's respective strength's, skills, and personalities. Each of them possessed full confidence of both their Pokemon's abilities and their own. Both, Cilan realized, trained and fought in the same frame of mind, devoting their entire beings.

_Maybe that's why they connected so easily?_ he idly wondered.

A small blue and white Pokemon with a large tail raced in a figure-eight pattern, a short trail of blue electricity following it. Dawn stood nearby, her eyes locked on the formation. She suddenly smiled. "Now, Discharge!" Pachirisu leaped into the air, and a fan of electric blue bolts shot down, illuminating the full figure-eight on the ground.

Ash frowned as, once again, Scraggy's Focus Blast flew off course and exploded against the ground. Both he and Oshawott sighed in frustration. "Okay Scraggy, lets try again. Oshawott, Razor Shell. Scraggy, Focus Blast."

Scraggy held his hands together and concentrated. A blue orb of energy formed between his palms, haltingly growing in size. Oshawott pulled his scalchop from his stomach, iridescent blue energy projecting out of it as he rushed forward. Satisfied with the size of the orb, Scraggy thrust his hands forward, launching the orb in Oshawott's direction. The Sea Otter Pokemon readied his sword, preparing to bat aside the incoming attack.

The glowing orb of energy held true to the last second, then nosedived into the ground, throwing up a large cloud of dirt, smoke and dust. Oshawott slid to a stop, coughing as he waved his sword to disperse the cloud.

Dawn looked over in concern. "What's up with that?" she asked Cilan.

Cilan sighed. "Scraggy learned Focus Blast during a battle tournament almost three weeks ago, but he still hasn't managed to be able to control it. It's become almost frustrating for Ash."

Dawn frowned. "I can remember when Ash tried to teach Turtwig Energy Ball. It took a long time too, but eventually he mastered it."

Cilan smiled. "I can believe that. Ash has demonstrated on multiple occasions his skill and persistence when it comes to Pokemon."

Max turned around the corner of the Pokemon Center, followed by Iris. "Hey guys, what's up? Training?"

Dawn nodded. "Yeah. Cilan was just telling me about the trouble Ash and Scraggy have been having with Focus Blast."

Iris nodded. "Ever since the Clubsplosion Tournament, Scraggy has had problems with it."

A fresh explosion drew their attention, and Ash groaned. "Okay Scraggy, lets take a break. We'll try again later." Sighing, he sat down with the others.

Dawn smiled at him as Pachirisu jabbered by her foot. "Still having problems?"

Ash sighed wearily. "Yeah. Scraggy's getting better, but slowly. A little too slowly, unfortunately. I don't doubt that he'll get it eventually, but I'm just wondering when."

Dawn nodded as she scooped Pachirisu into her arms. "You'll do it. I haven't seen you fail at anything you've seAAAHHHHHHHH!" She stood stock still as Pachirisu unloaded a Discharge. Thin smoke wisped from her scorched clothing, and she sighed. "Pachirisu, I thought we were over this. Come're." Stooping to her bag, she began rummaging through it as the EleSquirrel chattered excitedly.

Cilan, Iris and Max looked at her worriedly, then at Ash when he quietly chuckled. He noticed their looks and shrugged. "When ever Dawn practices with Pachirisu, she always gives him a Poffin afterwards. He sometimes gets impatient, though he doesn't usually shock her like this. But then, he's usually already eaten it by now." He looked over at Dawn and Pachirisu, who had already stuffed the whole treat into his mouth, and smirked. "Uh, Dawn?"

She glanced at him in confusion. "What Ash?"

Ash simply pointed at his head, then nodded to the others, who were barely managing to stifle their laughter.

Dawn looked at them in confusion, then paled slightly. Reaching up, she felt her head. Her hair stuck out wildly in all directions, tiny sparks of static crackling between the multi-layered spikes. "Oh, not again!" Spinning around, she whipped her hat off and began digging through her backpack for her hairbrush. "Not again, not again! Why does it always do this!"

Axew was the first to lose control, collapsing onto the ground and rolling in laughter. Iris, then Cilan, then the other Pokemon followed suit. The only ones who managed to restrain themselves were Ash, Pikachu, Dawn's Pokemon, Snivy, and Boldore, though it was hard to tell with him. Failing to find her brush, Dawn spun around and rushed back into the Pokemon Center.

Ash sighed as he clambered to his feet. "Nice, guys. I'll be right back." The others failed to answer, caught up in their efforts to stop their laughter. As he rounded the corner of the building, Ash heard a rapid Bubblebeam, followed by a Vine Whip, and couldn't resist smirking.

Following the sound of angry muttering down the corridor, Ash slipped through the door, warning Pikachu to be quiet with his finger. He smiled as he watched Dawn struggle with her hair, her growling and muttering rising and falling in pitch.

"'Still having problems?'" he said with a slight mocking tone.

Dawn whirled in surprise. "Ash! What, what're you doing in here? Get out!" She tried to jam her beanie down over her hair, without much success.

Ash chuckled. "Stop talking, and sit down." The sudden authority in his voice surprised her into compliance. Taking the brush from her hand, Ash stepped behind and began making slow strokes through her hair. Pikachu grinned. "Pika, pipichu pikachu." (This is going to blow her mind.)

Dawn frowned, struck the bizarreness of the situation. "Since when do you know how to brush hair?" She looked pointedly at his reflection in the mirror.

Ash smiled as her hair slowly lost its static. "I gotta have some secrets, don't I?"

Dawn gave him a disbelieving look. "I have never seen your hair in anything but a total mess, Ash."

He chuckled in response. "Alright, truth is, I got some tips from Zoey. She figured that, eventually, you'd need help when she wasn't around, and Brock seemed convinced that I was the only guy stupid enough to risk it."

Dawn narrowed her eyes. "What are you saying?"

Ash grinned. "That dealing with you when your hair is a mess can be hazardous to your health. The last time I interrupted you, you threw your hairbrush at me. Now, at least, I can do something to help afterwards."

Dawn glared at him, then loosed a sigh. "Alright, I can be a little tense. But, if you do know how to brush your hair, why don't you?"

Ash shrugged. "Because I don't think it's that important, and by this point I'll probably break the brush before I make any headway. Promise not to tell? Like I said, I gotta have some secrets."

Dawn smiled. "Fine, but you owe me." She looked her own reflection over. "Wow, not bad. Could be better, but not bad." Ash grinned again as he handed her the brush. "That's probably the best you're gonna get from me. I'm going to see if Piplup and Snivy haven't killed everyone yet. See you outside."

Dawn watched him leave, thoroughly confused. "Wow. Guess miracles do exist." she muttered.

Ash sighed as he observed Piplup berating Cilan, Iris and Max, who were currently tightly wrapped in Snivy's vines. "Had enough fun yet? Snivy, let them go."

Cilan loosed a constricted breath as the vines around his chest departed. "I admit, that was poor manners of us. We will apologize."

Iris giggled. "But it was pretty funnOW!" She rubbed her head as Piplup landed next to her after pecking her head. "Well it was!"

Ash sighed again. "Fun's over, Piplup. Dawn's in her room, but she should be out in a minute."

"You're about a minute off, Ash." Dawn smiled as Piplup jumped into her arms. "It's okay guys. I sometimes do get a little hung up about my hair." She winked at Ash, who grinned. "Now, as I recall, weren't there supposed to be some battles going on today?"

Max jumped to his feet. "Right!" He paused. "Aw, man, I don't know who to battle first, Ash or Cilan."

Ash chuckled. "Trust me, Max, you want Cilan first. Battling a Connoisseur is a pretty cool experience. You don't want to miss it."

Cilan smiled. "To be honest, Max, I'm facing the same dilemma as you. Both you and Dawn have Pokemon that I've never seen before, and to have an opportunity to do such an evaluation is a Pokemon Connoisseur's dream."

Max glanced between Ash and Cilan, uncertain of his decision.

_Battle the older one, with green hair. _

Max blinked in surprise. _Cilan? Why?_

Ralts hummed into his shoulder. _I'm curious as to what a 'Pokemon Connoisseur' does. I want to know just how he will 'evaluate' us. Besides, Ash will battle you any time you ask. When will you ever get such an opportunity?_

Max nodded. _Alright. Cilan it is._ "If it's alright with you, Ash, Ralts wants to battle Cilan. She wants to find out just what an evaluation is." He grinned at the Connoiseur. "It won't be easy, you know."

Cilan smiled back at the younger trainer. "I wouldn't expect anything less. I can already taste the match. The blend of youth between you two presents an excellent array of flavours."

Max's grin grew wider, and Ralts smiled in anticipation. "I think you'll find that we've got a few surprises up our sleeves."

_He's funny. I like him._

Ash chuckled. "Alright, lets get this battle going. I'm looking forward to seeing this."

Both trainers took up positions on opposite sides of the field, each staring down the other with determined anticipation. Ash stepped forward between them. "I'll call this match. This will be a one-on-one battle, with no substitutions. Alright guys, pick your Pokemon!"

Max glanced over his shoulder to Ralts. "You ready to show him what we've got?" Ralts nodded. "Ralralts!" (Always!) Smoothly, she teleported from his shoulder to the battlefield.

Cilan smiled. "Enthusiasm is always good in a battle. I'm looking forward to this. And there is only one Pokemon that I would ever use for such a special evaluation. Come say hello, my closest friend, Pansage!" Throwing his Pokeball into the air, the red and white sphere cracked in half, spilling white light from within its core. The bright flash, arced down to earth, forming the shape of a green monkey, a small leafy bush on his head. The Pokemon opened his eyes and smiled. "Pan pansage." (Shall we?) He suddenly paused, confused. "Pansage? Pan pan pansage?" (What the? What are you?)

Ralts smiled beneath her hair. "Ral ralts ralts rara." (Nothing you've ever seen before.)

Pansage looked at her curiously. Cilan smiled. "Pansage, this is Ralts. She's from the Hoenn Region, and is Max's partner. We have the honour of giving them their first evaluation."

Ash smiled. "Alright, lets go. Battle begin!"

Cilan gestured to Max. "You can have the first move."

Max grinned. "Ralts, Safeguard!" Ralts held out her arms, and her eyes glowed green, the light shining dimly from beneath her hair. A glimmering green dome formed around her, the waving light distorting her slightly to Pansage's eyes.

Cilan smiled. "Hmm, a soft, gentle flavour, cautious but firm. Pansage, Bullet Seed!" Taking a wide stance, Pansage ballooned his cheeks and fired a rapid stream of bright green seeds. The stream spread out slightly in a cone shape, zipping through the air towards Ralts.

Max furrowed his brow slightly, and pushed his glasses up. "Ralts, dodge it with Psychic!" The light shining from Ralts eyes changed from green to blue, and a soft field of blue light surrounded her. Rising a few inches off the ground, she shot several feet to the side, causing the stream of seeds to miss her by a wide margin.

Cilan's smile grew wider. "A clever use of an offensive move to compensate for Ralts's low mobility. But you have yet to attack us directly, and a recipe that lacks any direct flavour will always fall flat. Pansage, use Bite!" Pansage bent his legs and bared his teeth, leaping towards his smaller opponent.

Max smiled in return. "Ralts, use Psychic again, this time on Pansage!" Ralts thrust her arm out, and the light streaming from her eyes glowed brighter. Pansage froze in mid-air as he became surrounded in blue light, waving his arms frantically. Ralts moved her arm in an up-and-down gesture, sending Pansage flipping high into the air, then crashing into the ground. "How's that for a direct flavour?"

Cilan stared in surprise. "Well, that is a surprise. But we can recover quickly. Pansage, Dig!" Pansage shook his head and dove into the ground, his arms moving in a blur as he disappeared beneath the warm earth. Ralts looked around her, suddenly anxious.

_Max, I can't sense him anymore! I can't feel what he's feeling!_

Max gritted his teeth. "I know, I know. He's here somewhere, stay sharp."

For several agonizing seconds, nothing happened. Cilan smiled. "I can tell that Ralts is a strong Pokemon, but even she can't fight what she can't see. Pansage, now!" The ground beneath Ralts's feet trembled, and she scrambled to maintain her balance. Max's eyes widened. "Ralts, get in the air, now! Psychic!"

Too late, Pansage erupted from the ground, catching a glimpse of Ralts's startled eyes beneath her hair as his fist socked into her chin, sending her sprawling. Front-flipping away from her, he spun around on one hand and landed square on his feet.

Cilan smiled and snapped his fingers. "And now, it's Evaluation Time!"

Iris dropped her head into her hands, causing Dawn to look at her in confusion. "Here we go again."

Cilan chuckled as Ralts pushed herself to her feet. "A good strategy is like a fine meal, to be prepared and executed with precision and artistry. Your strategy seems to be based upon reaction, waiting for your opponent to make the first move, and then trying to counter it. When you don't take the time to attack your opponent directly, you give them the opportunity to gain the upper hand, from which you then struggle to overcome and gain momentum. Allow me to demonstrate: Pansage, Bullet Seed!"

Again, Pansage blasted a stream of glowing seeds from his mouth. Max gritted his teeth further. "Ralts, block them with Psychic!" Ralts thrust her arms out, and the air in front of her shimmered. Three feet away from her, the seeds slowed to a stop in mid-air. Cilan snapped his fingers again. "Pansage, Rock Tomb, if you will?" Pansage raised his arms over his head, and a large grey stone formed between his hands, expanding until it was easily three or four times the size of his own body. With a grunt, he heaved the massive stone forward. It flew through the air, easily smashing through the molasses-like air in front of Ralts.

Abruptly, the stone broke apart into over a dozen pieces, crashing into the ground around Ralts, throwing up a huge cloud of dust. When the dust settled, Ralts was revealed to be trapped inside a ring of huge stones, each towering over her. Max growled in frustration. "Ralts, try and break out with Psychic!" Thrusting her arms out, a shockwave rippled through the air, crashing into one of the stones. The rock shifted slightly, but remained stubbornly embedded in the ground.

Cilan smiled. "Bullet Seed." Pansage leaped up on top of one of the stones, and blasted a fresh stream of seeds at Ralts. With nowhere to run, Ralts was forced to endure the attack, the barrage peppering her body.

Max growled. "Ralts, use Energy Ball!" Crossing her arms in an X-shape, Ralts concentrated. Her eyes glowed a bright green, and tiny sparkled of green light formed out of the air and ground, gathering between her arms and chest. She winced as the continuing stream of seeds battered her arms and head, but stubbornly concentrated on her attack. More twinkling lights gathered between her arms and chest, forming a shining green orb of energy. Throwing her arms out, she fired the orb at Pansage. Taken by surprise, the acrobatic monkey leaped off the rock, barely dodging the speeding orb.

Cilan smiled again. "That was good, but not enough. Pansage, Dig, please." Again, Pansage disappeared into the ground, leaving a large hole behind.

Ralts shivered slightly. _Max, I can't sense his anymore. Every time he goes underground, I lose him. _

Max gritted his teeth. "I know, I know." _Come on, Max. You've watched all sorts of battles, you've seen this move before. You can figure out how to counter it. What do you know. Pansage can move quickly underground, that much is obvious. Ralts can't just use Psychic to dodge, Pansage will still be able to reach her, she can't get high enough. If you knew where Pansage was, you could possibly pull him out of the ground. But how do you find him?_

Dawn watched the battle with worry. "Max hasn't had many battles, I don't know how he will handle this."

Iris shook her head. "Cilan is a little strange, but he knows what he's doing. He not just a Connoisseur, he's also a Gym Leader. He's testing Max, trying to find out what he can do."

Ash grinned. "Come on, Max, you can do it! You and Ralts are an awesome combination!"

Iris glared at his back. "Ash, you're the judge, not a spectator! You're not supposed to cheer for him"

Ash chuckled. "i can't help it, Iris. They're both my friends, I have to cheer for them both!"

Dawn smiled. "That's my Ash." Iris turned and looked at her oddly. _Her Ash? What does that mean?_

Max growled under his breath. _Come on, Max. You can find a way out of this._ His eyes widened. _Wait. I've got it! Ralts! Can you hear me? _

_ Yes. What are you going to do? _

_ We need to catch him off guard. That's the only way we'll beat him, so only listen to my thoughts. We can do this, Ralts. Now, use Calm Mind!_

Ralts nodded, and took a deep breath. A soft humming sound came from her throat, and a blue light shimmered from her eyes. Her horns glittered and glowed, the light spreading over her body, wrapping around her in a calm aura.

Cilan frowned. "Hmm, what's this? A new flavour perhaps? And yet he didn't say anything. What is she doing? What are they doing?"

Max focused entirely on Ralts. _Can you find him? He should be getting closer. There's only one place he can come out if he wants to hit you, and that's right underneath you._

Ralts took another breath, emptying her thoughts and worries, allowing all the emotions around her to sweep through her mind like a gentle wind. _All creatures possess emotions. These are the true spices of life that you seek, Cilan. _Everyone's eyes widened as they realized that she was broadcasting to all of them. _But what you have failed to realize, is that emotions are what I draw my power from. Sadness, anger, hatred, these make me ill. Happiness, joy, love, these give me strength. All creatures possess emotions. _She looked straight ahead, and Cilan got an unnerving feeling that she was looking at him. _And with them, I can find all creatures!_

Max smiled. "Now we'll show how strong we are, and how strong our connection is!" Ralts threw her arms open, and a rippling shockwave ripped through the ground as she unleashed her psychic power. The shockwave sped outward, tearing the rocks around her from the ground. Four feet away, the earth cracked and broke, and Pansage rocketed from the ground, surrounded by blue light. Flying through the air in a gentle arc, Pansage smashed back into the ground, then cried out in pain as each boulder that had previously surrounded her smashed into him, guided by Ralts thoughts.

Max smiled. "There's a reason as to why Ralts are known as the Emotion Pokemon, Cilan. Ralts, Energy Ball." he said calmly as he pushed his glasses up. Ralts launched herself into the air, crossing her arms as another orb of green light formed in front of her chest. Throwing her arms out, the ball sped downwards, crashing into Pansage's battered body and exploding, unleashing the full amount of energy contained within on him. Cilan stared in shock and surprise. "Pansage, no!"

Ralts slowly lowered herself to the ground, and the dust settled revealing an extremely battered Pansage. Slowly, the Grass Monkey Pokemon pushed himself up, and he glared across at his opponent, who was easily half his height. Cilan smiled and shook his head. "I'll admit, you are much stronger and much more skilled than I had first thought. But now is time for the main course. Pansage, Solar Beam." Pansage raised his hands to the sky. A tiny yellow light formed between his hands, expanding slowly expanding into a ball of light.

Max grinned. _Don't worry Ralts. He may think that this is the main course, but you and I both know that this is the end. Use Calm Mind again._ Ralts nodded. _Right._ Again, Ralts took a deep breath, and that low humming sound issued from her throat. A blue aura formed around her, this time shifting and waving with each thought and emotion that she perceived.

Iris stared at the unusual sight. "What's going on? Max isn't doing anything at all, he's not even giving commands."

Ash grinned. "I know what he's doing."

Dawn looked at him curiously. "You do?"

Ash nodded. "I've seen this once before, when I was in the Kanto Battle Frontier. One of the Frontier Brains, Anabel, used Psychic Pokemon. She also has this awesome ability to understand what Pokemon were feeling, to understand their emotions. She was so skilled with it, that when she battled, she didn't need to speak any commands to her Pokemon. She was so in tune with what they were feeling, it was like they were one person. Her Pokemon understood what she wanted them to do, without her needing to say it. It made her an incredibly strong battler, because you couldn't predict what she was going to do."

Iris stared at him. "And you're saying Max can do that?"

Ash shook his head. "No, Max can't do that. But Ralts can. Remember what Max said, and what Ralts herself said? She's an Emotion Pokemon, she can sense emotions. Ralts and Max are syncing perfectly, to the point that Ralts can understand what he wants her to do, without him needing to tell her. Thats how she was able to hit Pansage, even when he was underground. She could feel what he was feeling, and used that to locate him."

Iris looked between Ralts and Max in awe. "But, what do you think that light is? What move is Ralts using?"

Dawn swallowed. "I think that's Calm Mind. It's a move that some Psychic Pokemon can use to make themselves stronger, by focusing their thoughts and calming themselves. I've never seen it done like this, though."

Cilan smiled. "This battle is truly exciting, Max. I have to thank you for giving me this opportunity. I've never battled someone who was so close and so in tune with their Pokemon like you are. It brings a new and totally unexpected flavour, like a special secret ingredient in a true masterpiece. I look forward to seeing how close you and Ralts become in the future." His smile shifted in to a grin. "But for now, that bond of your will not be enough to overcome our will and determination. Pansage, it is time to bring our full strength to the course. Solar Beam!"

Pansage lowered his hands and thrust the orb of light forward. A bright beam of pure, concentrated light erupted from it, blasting towards Ralts. Max smiled. _Brace yourself. Use Psychic to catch and trap the attack. Your power's been strengthened enough. I know you can do it, Ralts. We can and will win this!_

Ralts opened her eyes and held out her arms, as if accepting the attack. The air in front of her chest shimmered slightly, and the beam smashed into her, driving her backwards. Bright light flashed outwards, forcing the others to look away, blinding them. Finally, the light faded. Everyone looked, and stared in absolute shock.

Ralts stood several feet away from her previous position. Shallow tracks had been carved in the dirt, marking where she had been pushed by the attack. Hovering between her arms and chest was a large orb of bright light, almost the size of her head. The surface of the orb glowed blue, shimmering as the yellow light contained within roiled in fury. The blue aura from her Calm Mind shimmered and flickered, presenting all-too intimidating sight, further enhanced by her meagre foot and a half of height.

Max smiled. _I knew you could do it! You know what to do._

_Your emotions are strong._ She raised her head backwards, until Cilan and Pansage could see her brightly glowing eyes. _But ours are stronger. _The orb of light hovering in her arms and shimmering around her body turned iridescent green, shining like a star had become trapped in her arms. Blue light suddenly surrounded Pansage, as Ralts immobilized him with Psychic. _And their's are stronger still!_ Throwing her arms out, Ralts fired the massive Energy Ball at the helpless Pansage. The powerful attack smashed into him, unleashing the barely contained energy of the Solar Beam, amplified by Ralts's own power, in a single powerful explosion.

Pansage flew out of the smoke, bouncing several times off of the ground. He struggled to raise himself for a moment, then passed out and collapsed.

Ash smiled. "Whoa." He raised one hand. "Pansage is unable to battle, leaving Ralts the winner. That means that Max wins the match!"

Max pumped his fist and happily grabbed Ralts as she teleported into his arms. "Alright, Ralts, you did it! We won! You were awesome!"

Cilan smiled as he strode over to Pansage, who wearily opened his eyes. "Your performance was impeccable, Pansage. You deserve a long rest. Thank you." He held out his Pokeball, and a thin stream of red light collected Pansage. Cilan rose to his feet and turned to Max and Ralts. "Max, you have my thanks. The combination of you and Ralts is truly amazing, with a completely unique and unexpected flavour, unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was a joy and a pleasure to see such a connection between Trainer and Pokemon. My only wish is to see what that connection will like in the future, and I hope it only grows stronger. I do have a question, though." Cilan's brow furrowed slightly. "Ralts, what did you mean when you said 'their's are stronger still'? Who were you talking about?"

Ash looked at his partner. "I kinda want to know that myself, Ralts."

Dawn nodded. "Yeah, what was that about?"

Ralts remained quiet for a second. _Max, you know who I was talking about. We know how she feels, and he feels something, but he doesn't know what. We cannot tell them, they must find out on their own._

Max nodded. _I know, Ralts._ "She doesn't know. There were a lot of emotions running through her, she couldn't feel who they were coming from."

Ash frowned. "I don't get really get it, but, oh well." He smiled and turned to Dawn. "We should actually get going. I take it we've got a long ways to go?"

Dawn frowned at him in confusion. "What? What are you talking about Ash?"

He grinned at her. "What, you think I'm going to miss that World Tournament? No way."

She laughed. "Oh, I should have guessed. I don't actually know where it is, but I'm sure if we asked at the Pokemon Center, we could find out."

Ash nodded. "Right. Max, is okay if we battled later today? I'm sure that Ralts needs a rest after that battle."

Max looked at his partner. "Yeah, that's okay. We should get going I don't want to miss seeing that tournament either." He smiled up at Ash, a determined glint in his eye. "But you and me are definitely going to have that battle."

Ash grinned and gave Max a thumbs up. "Of course. I can't wait."

Iris sighed. "You two are such kids. Come on, lets get going!"

Both Ash and Dawn laughed at her impatience.

* * *

Several hours later, after walking for most of the day, Ash sighed. "Man, Undella Town is a long ways. How long do you think it'll take us to get there?"

Cilan glanced at his map. "It'll take us a few days, at least. Undella Town is on the east coast on Unova."

Dawn happily looked around her, Piplup snoozing on her head. "I can't get over how incredible this place looks. It's so different from Sinnoh and Hoenn. Not to mention warmer than Sinnoh too."

Iris glanced at her curiously. "What do you mean, warmer? How cold does it get in Sinnoh?"

Dawn smiled. "It kind of depends where you are. Sinnoh is farther north then most other regions, and we have a mountain right smack in the middle of the region, Mt. Coronet. It's so huge, it literally divides the region in half. It's almost impossible to get lost in Sinnoh, because you usually know which side of the region you're in, and you can always see the mountain." She leveled a cool smile at Ash. "And yet, you somehow still managed to get us lost now and then."

Ash chuckled. "Hey, it wasn't always my fault. Sometimes you got us lost too, as I remember."

Dawn smiled again. "Anyway, the east side of Sinnoh is a bit warmer that the west side, but that's mostly because of the humidity. Most of the rain collects on the eastern side. But there is a particular route, north of Mt. Coronet, that is constantly snowing. I mean, all the time."

Cilan smiled. "I highly doubt that it snows constantly, Dawn. It sounds like an exaggeration to me."

Ash shook his head. "She's not exaggerating, Cilan. When I was getting my seventh Gym badge in Sinnoh, we had to head up to Snowpoint City, at the northern most tip of Unova. There was only one safe path up there, and it snowed all the time we were there." He glanced over at Dawn. "Though it didn't snow around Lake Unity, for some reason. In fact, there was hardly any snow there. Do you think Uxie had something to do with that?"

Dawn smiled nervously, and pulled Ash off to the side. "Ash, are you sure you want to mention Uxie? I mean, do you think that's safe for it?"

Ash smiled gently at her. "Dawn, Uxie's fine, and these are my friends. Cilan and Iris would never do anything to hurt any Pokemon."

Dawn looked at him, then at the confused pair nearby, then back at him. "Alright, I trust you Ash. But we'll probably need to explain the whole legend."

The pair rejoined the group. "So, who's Uxie?" Iris asked.

Dawn smiled. "It's kind of a long story. In Sinnoh, there's a myth, about how the region was created. According to Sinnoh myth, all existence was created by a single Pokemon, called Arceus. After creating the universe, Arceus created three dragon type Pokemon, Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina. Dialga represented and had control over time, and it was said that time flowed with Dialga's heartbeat. Palkia represented and controlled space, and existed opposite to Dialga. Together, Dialga and Palkia created and stabilized reality as we know it."

Ash nodded and knelt to the ground, drawing a triangle on the ground. "Dialga and Palkia live in their own dimensions, each of which are purely their own power. Giratina, though, lives opposite of both of them. Giratina lives in the Reverse World, a world that is the exact opposite of ours. In the Reverse World, Giratina is the only living thing, or at least it was until a few years ago, when it was discovered by Newton Graceland. He spends a lot of time there now with his Sheildon, studying Giratina and the Reverse World, and how it's connected to our world."

Dawn smiled as Ash drew three different shapes at each corner of the triangle. "Arceus also created three other Pokemon, the Mirage Pokemon, Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. Uxie represents knowledge, and according to legend, gave humans the ability to learn and remember. Mesprit represents emotion, and gave people the ability to feel."

Ash drew new shapes at each corner of the triangle. "Azelf represents willpower, and gave people the motivation to do things. Together, these three Pokemon represent spirit, and can balance out either Dialga or Palkia."

Cilan and Iris studied the drawing closely. "Wow. But, what does that have to do with Lake Unity?" Iris asked.

Ash smiled. "Metaphorically, this triangle represents how all these legendary Pokemon are connected. When Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are at the corners, Arceus is in the center. Together, these three Pokemon can almost equal Arceus's power. When Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf are at the corners, either Dialga or Palkia are in the center, and the power is balanced. But this drawing isn't just metaphorical."

Dawn nodded. "Sinnoh itself also forms this image. The circle in the centre is Mt. Coronet, where according to Sinnoh myth, Arceus created the three dragon Pokemon and the universe in turn in a massive explosion. The three points of the triangle are formed by the three Sinnoh Lakes, Lake Acuity, Lake Verity, and Lake Valour. Each lake is a portal to a special dimension, in which each of the Mirage Pokemon live. Uxie lives in Lake Acuity, Mesprit in Lake Verity, and Azelf in Lake Valour."

Cilan looked at the pair. "You seem to know an awful lot about this. And you're not always speaking as though this is a myth."

Dawn and Ash looked at each other. "That's because it's true." Dawn commented.

Ash nodded. "All these Pokemon we mentioned? We've met them."

Both Cilan and Iris stared at them. "You have?"

Dawn nodded. "When I first started my journey, before I met Ash, I saw a mirage of Mesprit. Later, Mesprit kept appearing in my dreams, like it was asking me for something."

Ash smiled. "While we were journeying through Sinnoh, I saw a mirage of Azelf, and later, our friend Brock saw a mirage of Uxie. Some time after that, we discovered that each respective Pokemon had chosen to bond with us. Uxie chose Brock because of his knowledge of Pokemon, being a Breeder. Azelf chose me, because of my motivation. I never stop moving, I love battling, I haven't met anyone with the same determination as me, and that appealed to Azelf."

Dawn smiled. "Mesprit chose me because of how much I cared about Pokemon, and people in general."

Ash sighed. "Anyway, eventually, things went wrong. This organization called Team Galactic kidnapped the Mirage Pokemon, so that their leader, Cyrus, could use them to take control of Dialga and Palkia, and use them to create a new universe. When the Mirage Pokemon were kidnapped, they appealed to us, even teleporting us straight to them to save them."

Iris looked at both of them completely absorbed. "Did you succeed?"

Ash grinned at Dawn. "Eventually. We weren't able to stop Cyrus from creating his new world, but he disappeared into it, completely abandoning the organization he had built up. We were able to free the Mirage Pokemon, and then help them bring Dialga and Palkia back under control."

Cilan studied them. "What happened to Team Galactic?"

Dawn sighed. "The four Galactic Commanders were arrested by the International Police, who had been tracking the organization, and Team Galactic itself was disbanded."

Iris suddenly frowned. "But, how did you meet Giratina, and Arceus?"

Ash chuckled. "That's an even longer story, that we'll tell you later." He swiped the dirt drawing with his hand, wiping it away. "Right now, we should probably find a campsite."

A buzzing on his wrist drew his attention, and he frowned. Dawn looked at him curiously. "What is it Ash?" Pikachu poked his head out of Ash's backpack and yawned. "Pika?" (What's going on?)

Ash pulled back his sleeve, then chuckled again. "I had completely forgotten about this thing." A watch-like object was strapped to his wrist, a picture of an older woman in a lab coat on the screen. Dawn frowned. "That's not your Poketch, Ash."

Ash grinned and tapped the screen. "Hey, Professor Juniper, what's up?"

The image of the woman flickered, turning into a video. "Hello, Ash. How are you?"

He smiled. "I'm doing good. I ran into some old friends of mine, and I've gotten my seventh Gym badge. Uh, can I ask why you're calling?"

"Well, Ash, we're actually on our way to Undella Town for the World Tournament, and my Cross Transceiver detected yours. Looks like you're not too far from our camp. How many are in your group, still three plus Pokemon?"

Ash glanced up at the group. "Five, actually. I met up with two other friends. Where's your camp?"

"Based on what I'm looking at, you're about 2 miles southwest of us."

Max borrowed the map from Cilan, taking a quick reading off the sun. He pointed off into the trees. Ash grinned. "Right, we gotcha. We're on our way. Oh, and Professor?"

"Yes Ash?"

"My friends are from Sinnoh and Hoenn, so you may need some special food, especially for one friend in particular. I hope you've got enough food to feed him." He pointed at Dawn's set of Pokeballs and winked. Dawn covered her mouth to smother her giggle. "Also, please tell me Bianca's not with you?"

Professor Juniper frowned at him. "No, she's not. Why?"

Ash sighed in relief. "No reason. See ya soon." He tapped the screen, causing it to go blank. "Whew, that was close."

Dawn looked at him oddly. "Ash, why don't you want to see this 'Bianca' girl?" _Please tell me she's not his girlfriend!_

Ash chuckled. "It's not that I don't want to see her. Every time we run into her, she literally runs into me and knocks me over. And for some reason, I always end up landing in water."

Dawn smirked as she tried not to laugh. "Really? Wow." _Whew, good, not a girlfriend. Besides, if she was she would be traveling him, instead of running into him. What was I thinking?_

Ash smiled. "Yeah." He glanced at Iris and Cilan. "Somehow I doubt she's ever going to slow down. Okay Max, since you seem to know where we're going, lead the way."

As they started walking, Iris gave Ash a strange look. "Ash, why did you point at Dawn's Pokeballs when you mentioned food? I know you have a huge appetite, but what does Dawn's Pokemon have to do with it?"

Dawn smiled. "I believe Ash was referring to Mamoswine. He's one of my Pokemon, and has a bigger appetite than Ash does. I've never seen anyone eat as much as Mamoswine, not even May's Munchlax."

Max snorted. "Then you clearly haven't seen Ash's Snorlax eat. He could empty an entire city of food, and still be hungry."

Cilan smiled. "I'm sure he's not that bad."

Ash chuckled. "No, he's serious. Snorlax are known for being huge eaters. When I first met Snorlax, I was in the Orange Islands, with Misty and Tracy. Snorlax was on a set of islands known for their orchards, and was eating everything in sight. He got through three islands of fruit fields before I finally caught him. After that, I couldn't keep him with me, because I just couldn't afford to feed him. Thankfully, Professor Oak was able to come up with a food additive that made Snorlax feel full, so he was able to keep him under control. Whenever I ask for Snorlax for more than a few hours, he sends me some."

Cilan stared at Ash with a look of slight fear. "Wow, I can't imagine trying to feed something like that."

Ash grinned at him. "You're lucky then." He suddenly smirked. "Man, I remember when I was in Johto, I used Snorlax in a Pokemon Sumo competition. The prize was a year's supply of Pokemon food. I had to return Snorlax to his Pokeball after every match to keep him from taking it all. When we won, he ate all the food in one sitting, and then promptly went to sleep."

Iris looked at him in surprise. "How often did that happen? Snorlax falling asleep I mean."

Ash laughed. "Every time. That's the other thing about Snorlax, they have two favourite activities: eating and sleeping. And once a Snorlax is asleep, they will stay that way for hours, and it's almost impossible to wake them up." He chuckled. "Not that you want to. The worst thing you can do is wake up a Snorlax in the middle of its nap. My Snorlax in particular hates a Dream Eater attack. It wakes him up every time, and he will pulverize whoever did it. He's one of the stronger members of my Pokemon."

Dawn giggled. "Of course, Snorlax's eating habits do make him predictable. Remember when you brought him to Sinnoh for the Lily of the Valley League Tournament?"

Ash burst out laughing. "Oh, yeah. Team Rocket had tried some stupid scheme, and I ended up loosing almost all the Pokeballs that I had sent over from the lab. Snorlax, he went straight for the kitchen, scaring the chef's in the process." He smiled. "But, overall, Snorlax is a good Pokemon. If you manage to be able to feed him, and not disturb his sleep, he's a nice guy."

Cilan was still a little shaken at the thought of trying to feed such a gargantuan appetite. "Can we maybe talk about something else? Maybe something with smaller food requirements?"

Dawn smirked at Ash. "Well, Ash does have a Pokemon with a smaller appetite, and he's much easier to feed. I think Iris would like him, actually."

Iris perked up slightly. "Oh, why's that?"

Ash grinned. "She's talking about Gible, and you would like him because he's a dragon type."

Iris immediately stepped right up next to him. "You have a dragon type? Oh, you have to tell me about him! Is he cute?"

Ash rolled his eyes. "See? I told you, she would go nuts about him." he commented to Dawn, who giggled. He pulled out his Pokedex and opened the entry on Gible. "This is what Gible looks like." On the screen stood a small dark blue Pokemon, approximately two feet tall and egg-shaped, with a red belly. A tall fin with a notch in it projected up from his head, and on either side were attached two ovoid objects. Four short limbs and a stump of a tail grew from the round body. A rather large mouth was open, revealing several sharp teeth. Iris looked at the picture with interest.

"The Land Shark Pokemon? Oh, he's so cute!" She suddenly glared at Ash. "Why didn't you tell me about Gible sooner? I want to meet him!"

Ash laughed. "I didn't mention him because I knew you were going to obsess over him. Besides, I don't think such a meeting would go well."

Iris's glare softened to confusion. "Why? You know I love dragon types, I come from the Village of Dragons, Gible and I would get along great."

Dawn smiled as Ash shook his head helplessly. "You would probably get bitten the moment you got close to him."

Iris looked at her. "Why? Gible doesn't seem like a mean Pokemon."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "He's not. Gible, as previously mentioned, has a large appetite, and he's also not all that bright. As a result..." she trailed off.

Ash picked up the sentence. "As a result, Gible will bite anything. I had toothmarks on my head for months after getting Gible, because he kept latching onto my head. Seriously, my hat still has holes in it. He can't even tell the difference between what is food and what isn't. He also doesn't like to let go once he has something in his mouth. He once nearly drowned because he was too busy chewing on a rock."

Dawn giggled. "I lost track of the times Ash had to stop Gible from eating his food dish along with his food. Sometimes he could get there in time, sometimes..." she trailed off again.

Ash hung his head. "Not."

Cilan quickly stepped up beside Max and held his stomach. "I think I'm going to be ill."

Max simply shook his head and smiled. "Remind me not to tell you about my sister's Munchlax."

* * *

Finally, the group arrived at Professor Juniper's campsite. Three tents had been set up already, along with a diner table and a ring of stones for a camp fire. The group stood at the edge of the clearing, surprised at the simplicity.

Max looked around. "Whoa. Professor Birch doesn't usually bring this much gear with him. Most of the time he just has a camera and a notebook."

Ash smiled. "Hello! Anyone here!" he hollered.

The flap of one of the tents opened, and Professor Juniper stepped out. "Ash! Cilan! Iris! Welcome to our current base camp. My assistants are just out getting some fire wood. How are you?" She paused for a moment. "And who are your new friends?"

Dawn grinned at the tall Professor. "Hi. My name's Dawn. I'm a Pokemon Coordinator, from Twinleaf Town in the Sinnoh region. It's very nice to meet you." She glanced upwards. "And if he would wake up for a moment, you could meet my partner, Piplup." Reaching up, she prodded the Penguin Pokemon in the side. Blinking sleepily, Piplup yawned and stared forward. He blinked as he realized he was looking at someone's chest, then looked up. "Pip?" (Wha...?) Shaking his head, he slid down to stand on Dawn's backpack. "Piplup." (Hello.) He waved up at the Professor.

Max rolled his eyes. "I'm Max, and I'm just a normal Trainer. I'm from Petalburg City, in the Hoenn region. Nice to meet you." He reached around and cradled Ralts's head, who leaned back to get a clear view. "And this is my partner, Ralts."

Ralts continued to stare at the Professor's chest. _Unh, she's too tall. I can't see her face._ She vanished in a flash of light as she teleported onto Juniper's shoulder. "Ral ralts." (That's better.) She tilted her head back again as the Professor looked at her in surprise.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all too. These are some very interesting Pokemon you have." She smiled as Ralts teleported back to Max's shoulder. "Come on, my assistants will be back soon. Cilan, I must admit, I'm looking forward to trying your cooking again. Though I am curious as which 'friend' Ash was referring to that I should be concerned about." She glanced at Max. "It wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"

Max smiled and shook his head. "Nope, not me."

Dawn giggled. "You'll meet him in a moment. Right now, what can we do to help out?"

Cilan smiled. "Well, since I seem to be the appointed cook, all I need is a fire, and I can get started."

"I think we might be able to help with that." The group turned and looked as a pair of men in lab coats, each carrying armfuls of wood, walked into the camp. Juniper smiled. "Ah, good, you're back. Greg, Charlie, you remember Ash and his friends. These two are Dawn and Max, from the Sinnoh and Hoenn region respectively. Set those down there, and we'll get everyone set up."

Within a few minutes everything was ready. Iris and Max helped set out sleeping bags for everyone, while Cilan, with the help of Dawn, started on a meal. Ash and Pignite were working on the fire.

Cilan smiled as he stirred the pot. "So, what exactly are Poffins? I noticed that your Pachirisu seemed especially fond of them."

Dawn smiled in return as she sliced up a set of carrots. "Poffins are a kind of baked treat, invented in Sinnoh. Coordinators use them to help improve the condition of their Pokemon. They're also really good treats in general, and I'm pretty good at making them myself." She paused for a moment as she thought. "Actually, I'm getting kind of low, and I think the ones I do have are starting to get stale. How about I teach you how to make them tomorrow?"

Cilan bowed his head to her. "I would be delighted. A good chef is always eager to learn new recipes."

Max settled down next to the fire. "So that's a Pignite, huh?" He looked across at Ash, who seemed preoccupied. "Ash? Hello?"

Ash blinked and turned to Max. "Huh? Oh, sorry Max. Musta dozed off or something." He turned and looked across at Dawn. _Okay, so it wasn't entirely true. I don't know what's going on, but I can't take my eyes off her. She's even more beautiful than I remember. When did she get so damn beautiful?_

"Ash!"

He blinked again. "Yeah, what is it Max?"

Max sighed in exasperation. "I would like to know about your Pokemon. I can tell that Pignite is a fire type."

Ash grinned. _Man, what is getting into me?_ "Sorry. Yeah, Pignite's a fire and fighting type. He evolved from Tepig a while back, and he's one of the stronger members of my team." Pignite snorted happily at the complement, and blew another short stream of fire from his nose into the camp fire.

Max smiled. "Cool. He looks tough as well. What other Pokemon do you have?"

Ash grinned. "Hang on a second." He turned around. "Hey, Dawn!"

She looked up after sliding another row of sliced vegetables into Cilan's pot. "What?"

Ash smirked at her. "Whaddya say we let everyone out, huh? I'm sure the Pokemon would like the fresh air, and it'll give Professor Juniper a chance to see what Pokemon you and Max brought with you."

Dawn smiled happily. "That's a great idea." She laid the knife down. "Excuse me Cilan. This'll just take a second." Pulling her five other Pokeballs from the holder on her waist, she grinned as she tossed them into the air. "Come on out guys! We've got a bunch new friends to meet!"

The five spheres that hovered in the air cracked open, illuminating the camp as her five other Pokemon appeared. Quilava stretched out his long body, and flames erupted from the vents on his head and rear. Buneary flexed her ears and straightened her vest. Pachirisu spun in circles, chattering excitedly, only to be hushed by Togekiss. Mamoswine towered over the group, his eyes widening as he took in the campsite. Piplup rushed over to the group, taking up a position next to Buneary.

Buneary noticed Ash, and immediately looked around. "Bun buneary?" (Where's Pikachu?) She squeaked when Ash's partner looked up from beside Ash. "Buneary!" (Pikachu!)

A look of panic crossed Pikachu's face. "Pika pikachu pika chupi!" (Oh come on, not this again!) The pair rushed around the camp, Pikachu ducking and weaving around bags, tents and legs, Buneary hopping in hot pursuit.

Dawn laughed. "Buneary, come here, leave Pikachu alone. You're going to get your vest dirty!" Buneary skidded to a stop, hopped over to Dawn's bag, carefully folded her vest on top of it, then took off in pursuit of Pikachu again.

Ash sighed. "Sorry, guys. Buneary's had this huge crush on Pikachu ever since they met." He stood up and pulled four of his own Pokeballs from his belt. "Your turn, guys. Come on out!" Tossing the balls into the air, the camp was illuminated again as the streaks of light formed Snivy, Oshawott, Scraggy, and Boldore. Pikachu shot underneath Boldore, who raised a leg in surprise. He received a second surprise when Buneary, who wasn't watching where she was going, smacked straight into him. Snivy sighed and extended a vine, both to help Buneary to her feet and to restrain her. Pikachu collapsed on the ground. "Pika." (Thanks.) Snivy sighed resignedly. "Snivy." (Don't mention it.)

Max grinned. "Wow, Buneary must really have a serious crush on Pikachu." He pulled a pair of Pokeballs from his own belt. "Our turn, guys." He tossed them into the air, a pair of flashes formed the shapes of the slumbering Slakoth and stoic Golett.

Ash grinned. "Whoa, you have a Golett? Man, that's awesome. He's shiny too."

Max smiled happily. "Yep. He's the first Pokemon I caught on my own. He also has this rare ability called No Guard."

Professor Juniper looked up from her close examination of Togekiss. "Golett has No Guard? You are lucky, Max. Finding a Pokemon with a hidden ability is extremely rare."

Cilan and Iris both smiled. "We should probably let our own Pokemon out, give everyone a chance to meet everyone." Cilan commented as he pulled his three Pokeballs out. "Say hello, everyone!" Three flashs of light formed into Pansage, Crustle, and Stunfisk. Crustle slumbered inside his rock shell, while Pansage happily greeted the newcomers.

Iris pulled out two of her own Pokeballs. "You too guys!" A pair of flashes formed into Emolga and Excadrill, who immediately noticed the sizeable Mamoswine. The pair stared each other down, then Excadrill turned away and inspected Golett, who gazed sightlessly.

Pikachu waved to Emolga, bringing her over to Pachirisu. "Pika pika pikachu, pika pichu." (This is Pachirisu, he's an electric type like us.)

Emolga smiled and winked at the small blue and white Pokemon. "Emol emolga." (Hi there.)

Pachirisu smiled back. "Pachipachipa!" (Ohwowyouarereallycuteit'snicetomeetyou!)

Emolga looked at the excited Elesquirrel blankly, then turned to Pikachu. "Emol?" (What?)

Pikachu rubbed his head sheepishly. "Pi, pika pikachu pika." (Yeah, he's kinda overcharged, if you know what I mean.)

Togekiss fluttered over. "Toooooooooooge, togekiss." (I'm sorry for Pachirisu, he's kind of excitable. Even we have trouble understanding him sometimes.) She laid her wing on Pachirisu's head. "Tooge toge togekiss." (I told you you need to slow down, dear.)

Pachirisu nodded, his large tail twitching. "Pachipachipachipachipachipa!" (Iknowbutthere'salotofnewPokemonhereandI'mjustsoexcitedtomeetthem!)

Emolga gave him another blank look. "Emol emolga ga emol." (You really are overcharged, aren't you.)

Ash knelt in front of Quilava. "So Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava, did he? You look a lot stronger now. I bet you could seriously rock a battle." Quilava smiled as Ash rubbed the fur on his head. "Quilava, lavalava qui." (It's great to see you too Ash.)

As the other Pokemon ran their own introductions, Professor Juniper smiled. "Well, I would have to say that this is a record. I'm glad you guys decided to join us."

Dawn and Max nodded. "It's great to be here two, Professor." Dawn answered. "Getting an opportunity to see so many different Pokemon, Pokemon that I've seen before, it's really cool."

Ash grinned. "Hey Max. While we're waiting for the food to get ready, why don't we have that battle now?"

Professor Juniper smiled. "Always raring for a battle, aren't you Ash."

Max smiled at her. "It's not just that. The last time Ash and I saw each other, we were traveling through Kanto with Brock and my sister, May. When we each went our separate ways, Ash promised me that when I became a Trainer, we would have a battle, me and him."

Ash clapped the younger Trainer on the shoulder. "And I always keep my promises. Of course, I also promise not to go easy on you, you know. I fully intend to win."

Max grinned up at him. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Lets make this a full battle Ash. I want to get an opportunity to use all my Pokemon."

Ash nodded. "Of course." He turned to Professor Juniper. "Would mind judging for us Professor? It'll give you a chance to see what Ralts and Slakoth can do."

Professor Juniper nodded. "I would love to."

Max ran over to his Pokemon. "Obviously, you know who I'm going to use, Ash. And you have to use Pikachu."

Pikachu jumped up on Ash's shoulder as he examined his team. "Hmm. Alright. I'll use Scraggy and Boldore. You ready guys?" Scraggy pulled up the loose skin that formed his 'pants' and clenched his fist. "Scraggy!" (Bring it!) Boldore calmly stepped up next to him. A surprisingly high voice issued from somewhere inside him. "Boldore." (I'm ready.)

The pair set up in a clearing, their Pokemon arrayed behind them. Max managed to rouse Slakoth, who blearily looked out. "I'll use Slakoth first. You ready?"

Ash nodded. "Boldore is ready to go." The hefty Ore Pokemon gazed across at the Slacker Pokemon. "You go first."

Max smiled. "Slakoth, try a Slash attack." Slakoth pushed himself up, his eyes narrowing. The pair of claws on his left hand glowed, and he lunged forward with surprising speed, raking them across Boldore's face. The rock type Pokemon didn't even budge.

Ash smiled back. "Boldore, Sandstorm." Boldore stabbed one spike-like foot into the ground, and a whirlwind of side spun up around the pair of Pokemon. Slakoth flew backwards, bouncing off the ground. His eyes took on a sleepy look.

Ash grinned. "You'll have to do better than that, Max. Boldore is a rock type, and he has massive defensive abilities. It'll take more than a Slash to break through him. And I happen to know Slakoth's ability, Truant. So I get a free attack. Boldore, Rock Blast!" The ridge of rock between Boldore's ears glowed silver, and several crescent shaped blasts of energy shot out. The blasts smashed into Slakoth, sending him bouncing even further backwards.

Max smiled. "I've taken Slakoth's ability into account, Ash. You know me better than that. And I know how best to counter a rock type. Slakoth, Brick Break!" Slakoth's eyes took on an aggressive look, and he pushed himself up again. This time his whole arm glowed white, and he leaped forward again, swinging his arm down like a hammer.

Ash grinned. "Boldore, intercept it with Rock Smash." Boldore's leg glowed red, and he raised it into the air, stabbing forward. The two attacks struck each other, each trying to overpower the other. The competition ended shortly, and Boldore thrust his leg forward, sending Slakoth bouncing along the ground again. Once again, Slakoth took on a sleepy look.

Max gritted his teeth in frustration. "Man, Boldore is powerful. Slakoth was completely overmatched." Ralts hugged his leg. _Perhaps Golett would be more suitable. It possesses much more strength, and he's a ground type, a better match against Boldore._ Max shook his head. "No, I'm saving him."

Ash continued grinning. "I'll tell ya, teaching Slakoth Brick Break is a good strategy. He's going to be a real wrecking ball when he evolves into Vigoroth. But he still can't compete with Boldore's power. Boldore, Rock Blast again!" Again, Slakoth was battered by multiple shots of energy, sending him tumbling along the ground.

Max groaned. "Slakoth, can you keep going?" Slakoth wearily pushed himself up, his eyes once again becoming energetic. "Slaaaaaakoth." (I'll sleep after this.) Max grinned. "Don't count Slakoth out just yet, Ash. We've got one more surprise. Slakoth, Endeavor!" Narrowing his eyes, Slakoth leaped forward, clamping his claws onto Boldore's two front legs. Red light streamed from Slakoth's body through his arms into Boldore, who suddenly sagged, massively tired.

Ash frowned. "Endeavor? What does..." His eyes widened. "Oh no, Boldore!"

Iris turned to Cilan questioningly. "What does Endeavor do again?"

Cilan smiled with admiration. "Endeavor is a move inflicts the same amount of damage on your opponent as you have received. Slakoth's taking a pretty powerful beating from Boldore, so he's feeling really weak."

Dawn watched closely. "And now, Boldore is just as weak. Wow, Max must have chosen to learn Endeavor to take advantage of the fact that Slakoth's Truant ability causes him to take large amounts of damage from not being able to attack as often."

Ash chuckled. "Man, I did not see that coming, Max. That was a cool strategy."

Max smiled proudly. "How do you think I beat Roxanne's Geodude, and weakened her Nosepass? I am a Gym Leader's son you know. I take battle strategy seriously."

Ash grinned. "But you forgot something, Max. You may have weakened Boldore, he can still deal out some powerful attacks. Boldore, Flash Cannon!" Boldore steadied himself on his three legs, and concentrated. Energy flowed from the core inside his body, causing the crystals growing out of him to glow. A silvery point of light formed between his eyes, rapidly growing larger. Ash's grin grew wider. "Boldore has a large core of energy inside his body, and he uses it to make really powerful attacks, especially his Flash Cannon attack. Boldore, let him have it!"

Max's eyes widened as he realized that Slakoth was still standing directly in front of Boldore, and that his Truant ability would stop him from being able to move fast enough to dodge. "Slakoth, no!"

A bright silver beam blasted outward, catching Slakoth full in the chest. The powerful attack shot him backwards across the field, blurring past Max, and finally smashing into a tree at the edge of the clearing. The beam dissipated, and Slakoth slumped forward on the ground, utterly dazed.

Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Slakoth is unable to battle! Boldore wins!"

Max rushed over and picked up Slakoth. "Aw, man." He sighed. "It's okay, Slakoth, you did awesome. Take a long rest." Slakoth smiled, and promptly shut his eyes. Within seconds his breathing softened, signalling his departure to dreamland. Max laid him by his backpack, then returned to the battlefield. Max sighed, then grinned at Ash. "Okay, so I may have messed up there. But it was a good strategy."

Ash nodded. "Yep. He's going to be a really powerful Pokemon. All you gotta do is train. Who's next?"

Max gestured behind him. "That would be Golett. You ready?" Golett stepped forward, the unintelligible grating of his voice echoing from within his body. The Automaton Pokemon was an intimidating sight. His dark grey and black body was barely visible in the dim light as the sun sank below the horizon, and were it not for the green energy the glowed in his eyes and body, he might have been invisible entirely.

Dawn shivered slightly. "I would hate to have to meet him in a dark alley. Talk about scary."

Ash grinned. "Golett looks tough. I'm looking forward to this battle."

Max simply smiled. "Looks like I go first. Golett, Iron Defense." Planting his feet wide, Golett leaned forward and planted his fist in the ground, forming a tri-pod with his body. The rocky surface of his body took on a shiny gleam, reflecting the flickering light from the fire.

Ash smirked. "Still dedicated to defense, huh? Boldore, Rock Blast!" Planting his three feet, Boldore fired a volley of blasts at Golett.

Green light shimmered around Golett's body, immobilizing him. The barrage of Rock Blasts thudded into his body, exploding against him, enveloping him in smoke. As Boldore stopped firing, the smoke cleared, revealing an unmoved Golett. Barely a mark marred his body.

Ash frowned. "Whoa, he is tough."

Max grinned. "Golett, Iron Defense again." The shine on Golett's dark body became more pronounced, the reflection of the fire growing slightly more clear.

Ash's frown deepened. "Boldore, Flash Cannon." A bright silver beam blasted from in front of Boldore's face. Again, a green light covered Golett's body, stopping him from moving. The powerful beam smashed into his body, but still failed to move him.

Now it was Max's turn to smirk. "Ya know, Ash, I like your style. You come straight at your opponent with everything you've got, never giving an inch. You always have some trick up your sleeve, sometimes by plan, sometimes on a whim." His smirk turned into a grin. "But that's not my style. I improve my Pokemon's defense, to wear down my opponent, then deliver a powerful attack to bowl them over. I'm happy that I caught Golett, because he suits my style perfectly." He threw out his hand. "Golett, Dynamic Punch!" Golett's eyes glowed brighter, and the light surrounding his body faded, reappearing around Boldore's body, immobilizing him. Golett pushed himself up, his fist becoming covered in a red glow. Running forward, Golett swung around and smashed his fist straight into Boldore's face.

A cracking sound echoed through the air, and Boldore was thrown backwards by the blow. Crashing into the ground, he carved a trench several feet through the dirt before coming to a rest. The crystals on the bottom of his body grew dim, and his legs collapsed to the ground.

Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Boldore is unable to battle. Golett wins!"

Iris stared in shock. "Whoa, down in one hit?"

Cilan shook his head in disbelief. "Amazing. Golett's power is incredible. He shrugged off Boldore's attack like they were nothing, and then delivered a powerful blow to end the fight. This is definitely a new and interesting flavour."

Dawn shook her head. "Boldore had been weakened from his fight against Slakoth, that's why Golett was able to beat him so easily. If Boldore had been fighting fresh, Golett wouldn't have had so easy." _Come on, Ash, I know you. You can beat Max. You always find a way to win._ She gazed at him worriedly.

Ash stared at the fallen Boldore, surprise stamped across his face. "Damn." he uttered quietly. Walking over, he patted the ridge of rock on Boldore's face. You did great, Boldore."

Golett walked over and grasped a pair of ridges on Boldore's body. A hollow grating sound filled the air, and he pulled Boldore from the ground, rolling him onto his feet. Boldore's legs wavered for a moment, then steadied.

Ash smiled. "Thanks, Golett." He turned to Boldore. "Thank you, you battled really well. Why don't you go rest by the fire." Slowly, Boldore joined the other Pokemon, settling down right against edge of the ring of stones, his back to the flames. Ash stood and faced Max, then chuckled. "Alright, I gotta admit, Max, I underestimated you. Golett is really tough, and he fits you perfectly." Turning, he grinned. "Pikachu, what do you say we handle this together?"

Pikachu smiled and clenched his small fist. "Pika pika, pikapi." (You and me, Ash.) Bounding out onto the make-shift battlefield, he gave Golett a determined look.

Max grinned as he pushed up his glasses. "Your move."

Ash smiled. "Pikachu and me, we can handle anything. Thunderbolt!" Focusing, Pikachu clenched the electric sacs in his cheeks, causing a field of electricity to form around his body. Golett leaned forward and planted his fist in the ground, waiting for the attack. Green light surrounded his body. Pikachu concentrated further, and a crackling bolt of electricity blasted towards Golett, crashing into his body.

Golett didn't even flinch. Max smirked. "Golett is a ghost and ground type. Which means the only move that Pikachu can use is Iron Tail, because Thunderbolt, Electroball, and Quick Attack won't have any effect. Golett, Shadow Punch."

Green light surrounded Pikachu's body as Golett straightened. Violet energy covered Golett's fist, forming a copy of his fist as he swung it forward. The shadowy fist smacked into Pikachu's face, hurling him backwards. Bouncing several times on the ground, Pikachu came to rest, then struggled to his feet.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Pikachu, you okay?" Pikachu ground his own teeth, and sparks of electricity crackled from his cheeks. "Pika, chu." (It's, on.) Ash growled. "Alright, Iron Tail!" A silvery metallic sheen covered Pikachu's tail, and Golett planted his fist in the ground again, immobilized by green light. Leaping into the air, Pikachu spun around and slammed his tail into Golett's shoulder. A ringing sound filled the air, and he bounced off.

Max's smirk grew more pronounced. "And thanks to Iron Defense, Iron Tail doesn't do much damage either."

Pikachu landed on the ground, more sparks coming out of his cheeks. Ash gritted his teeth. _Man, I can't get past this guy. _

Max held out his hand. "Golett, give a Rollout attack!" Green light locked onto Pikachu's body, and Golett jumped into the air, wrapping his arms around his body as he spun at high speed. Crashing into the ground, he shot towards Pikachu at breakneck speed, who was straining against the light that trapped him. Plowing into Pikachu's smaller body, Golett sent the Mouse Pokemon flying. Pikachu crashed into the ground, then slowly climbed to his feet. Green light surrounded Golett's body, causing him to spin in place.

Iris bit her lip. "Doesn't Rollout attack continuously, getting stronger with each hit?"

Cilan nodded. "Yes, it does. I'm afraid I don't know how Ash will be able to overcome this. Golett's power is formidable, as is his defense. And with his No Guard ability, Pikachu won't be able to dodge or block Golett's attacks."

Dawn anxiously bit her lip. "Come on, Ash. You can do this." she whispered.

Ash gritted his teeth. _Come on, come on. There's gotta be something, there's always something. How do you dodge something when you can't move while they're moving?_ Glancing to the side, he noticed Dawn looking at him. _Huh. I never noticed how firelight reflected off of those hair clips of hers. It kind of makes them look molten._

Dawn felt herself transfixed by Ash's gaze. _Gosh, I can't get enough of those eyes. It's like he always knows what I'm thinking. Like sun-warmed earth. And the way his hat sits just right on his head, how he hides behind it when he doesn't want you to know he's sad. How he smiles when he's up to something. How could I not have realized how much I loved him?_

Ash could feel his mind drawing a blank, her blue eyes drawing him away from reality. _How is she able to do that? What is it about her? She can alway's guess when I'm doing something, even before I know._ He blinked. _Wait. Before I..._

Dawn sucked in a breath as she saw a familiar grin appear on his face, for just a fleeting moment. He winked at her, and she felt like someone had sucker punched her. _He's got something, I know it. I know that look._ "Go get him Ash!"

_What does Ash have up his sleeve now? What clever inspiration has Dawn inspired in him? Who will win, Ash, or Max? When will I ever get around to the thrilling and lovingly romantic first climax of the story? Will I stop talking now and get on the next chapter?_

_ Guess you will have to wait, because I wanted to try a cliffhanger while I prepare the next chapter. Sue me. This was getting kind of long. Thirty pages in Pages is a lot._


	9. Chapter 9

_ ...Normally I take this time to wax philosophical about something that relates to love, and all the different ways that it can be felt. I do have something more to add on that subject, but I suspect that it would violate some sort of agreement that I made with the site. And I don't want to do that. So how about I stop wasting your time, and just get back to the story._

Ash grinned as memories of his final battle with Paul and his battle with Elesa flashed through his mind. _That should do it._ "Pikachu, aim a Thunderbolt straight at the ground. Give it all you got." Pikachu glanced at him. "Pika pika?" (That again?) The electric Pokemon blinked as a thought occurred to him. "Piiiiiiika." (Ohhhhhhh.) Grinning, he leaped into the air, clenched his electric sacs, and blasted the ground. The powerful bolt split the ground, ripping chunks of earth free, creating several trenches in the ground. Landing in one of them, he crouched low and waited.

Max raised an eyebrow. "Uh, okay. I guess that's a good way to dodge." Green light enveloped Pikachu, who allowed himself to be immobilized. Golett shot free of his own prison, carving a short turn and shot back towards Pikachu. As he encountered the trenches created by Pikachu's Thunderbolt, he bounced and shuddered, passing harmlessly over Pikachu's head.

Ash grinned. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Freed from the light that had restrained him, Pikachu jumped out of the trench and swung his metal-coated tail around, smashing into the spinning Golett like a bat. The impact, combined with his own momentum, broke Golett free from his No Guard trap, sending him speeding uncontrollably into a tree. The impact shook the tree, and Golett came to a stop, sprawled almost upside down. A grating sound filled the air, and Ash guessed that Golett didn't appreciate the speed boost.

Max growled. "Gee, thanks for that, Ash. Golett, Dynamic Punch!" Red light coated Golett's fist as he clambered to his feet and started forward.

Ash thrust out his hand. "Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Pikachu crouched and shot forward. Golett froze as green light enveloped him, leaving him precariously balanced on one foot. Pikachu raced towards the Automaton Pokemon, leaving a trail of white light behind him.

Iris frowned. "But, Quick Attack won't do anything. Golett's a ghost type, and Quick Attack's a normal type attack."

Dawn grinned. "Ash knows that. Haven't you noticed the position that Golett takes every time he expects an attack?"

Cilan looked at the frozen Golett, then smiled. "Right, he braces himself to receive it, because he knows his ability will prevent him from trying to dodge or block. But right now, Golett isn't braced, because he and Max both expected to be able to attack right now. Ash used Quick Attack to move first, taking Golett by surprise and leaving him vulnerable to the one attack that can do damage."

Dawn nodded. "Ash just needed to make sure that Pikachu didn't get hit by Rollout, so he had Pikachu break up the ground with Thunderbolt to provide cover, turning the battlefield against Max. It's something he's done before."

Ash grinned as the gap between Golett and Pikachu narrowed. "Okay buddy, now, Iron Tail!" Pikachu jumped up towards Golett's face as his tail became covered in a silvery metallic sheen, then hurled himself into a backflip. His steel hard tail swung upwards in a savage uppercut, landing solidly on Golett's face. The force of the impact upset Golett's precarious balance, knocking him backwards and sending his head into the tree behind him.

Max stared in frustrated surprise. "Come on, Golett, get up! You can do it!"

The green light that filtered from inside Golett's body flashed for a moment, then grew dim. Golett didn't move.

Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Golett is unable to battle, making Pikachu the winner."

Max sighed. "Every time. Why did I think that this time would be any different." He knelt next to Golett and patted the Automaton Pokemon's head. "You did a great job, Golett. You get some rest." The glowing light of Golett's eyes blinked out, though the holes around his arms and legs remained glowing. Max guessed that Golett had simply decided to sleep where he was. Sighing again, he got to his feet. "Well Ralts, looks like it's you and me. Think we're up for it?"

Ralts briefly teleported to his shoulder, hugging his head. "Ralts ra ra ral." (We're always ready.) She teleported to the broken battlefield, her gaze masked by her hair. Pikachu smiled with determination. "Pika pikachu!" (No holding back!)

Max widened his stance. "Ralts, Safeguard." A glittering shield formed around Ralts, her eyes glowing a dim green.

Ash grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere, Pikachu. Let's keep our momentum going, and introduce Ralts to our full power. Thunderbolt!" Crouching, Pikachu sent a crackling bolt towards Ralts.

Max threw out his hand. "Block it with Psychic!" Ralts held out her own hands, the air in front of her shimmering. The bolt of electricity blasted through the Safeguard shield, throwing out streaks of energy as it collided with the wall of psychic energy Ralts had created. Ralts shuddered slightly. _I don't know how many of those I can stop. Pikachu is very powerful, and has had much more practice at breaking through defenses than I have at making them._

Ash smiled. "Electroball!" Pikachu jumped into the air as electricity coated his tail, forming a crackling orb of energy. Spinning around in the air, he flung the orb at Ralts.

Max gritted his teeth. "Match it with Energy Ball!" Ralts fired her own green orb of energy into the air. The two attacks collided, fused for a moment, and then exploded, generating a large cloud of smoke. Max smiled. "Now! Focus, and use Psychic!" Ralts concentrated, searching for the emotions that she knew belonged to Pikachu. Finding them, she stretched out with her mind and seized him.

Pikachu jerked in surprise as blue light surrounded him. With a cry, he flipped upside down, spun around rapidly, and then grunted as he smacked headfirst into the ground. Ash clenched his fist. "Pikachu, no!" Slowly, Pikachu managed to push himself up, swaying dizzily. "Piiiiiiiiiiika, pikachuuuuuuuuuuu." (Uhhhhhhh, stop the room, I want to get off.) Turning in a circle, he collapsed onto his back.

Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Pikachu is unable to battle. Ralts is the winner."

Ash rushed over to his partner, cradling the electric type in his hands. "Pikachu, you okay?" Pikachu opened his eyes, staring in confusion. "Pikapi, pikapika pichu, pikapika?" (Ash, you're spinning, why are you spinning?) Ash smiled as he carried his partner over to the fire. "You did awesome, buddy. Just take a good rest."

Buneary immediately hopped next to Pikachu, fussing over him as she made him comfortable. Ash smiled as he watched for a moment, then turned and grinned at Dawn. "I got this."

Stepping back onto the dark battlefield, Ash smiled at his remaining Pokemon. "You ready Scraggy?" Scraggy clenched his 'pants' and nodded his domed head. "Scraggy scrag!" (I can handle her.) Ash grinned. "I know you can. Let's go." Running onto the field, Scraggy glared across at the ghostly figure of Ralts.

Ralts shivered. _This is wrong._ Max frowned. "Huh? What's wrong Ralts?" _He's not there Max._

Ash smiled. "Scraggy, use Leer." Scraggy fearlessly stepped up in front of Ralts, narrowing his eyes with a piercing stare.

Ralts broke out in a cold sweat. _This isn't right. He's not there. I can't sense him, I can't sense him at all. He's not there!_ Max frowned. "It's okay, Ralts. Try a Psychic." Shaking herself, Ralts concentrated as her eyes glowed blue. Blue light surrounded Scraggy, who looked at himself curiously.

Ash grinned. "Sorry Max. Scraggy is a fighting and dark type, which means psychic type attacks can't do anything to him. Scraggy, Headbutt!" Jumping forward, Scraggy rammed his head straight into Ralts's, knocking her backwards.

Rubbing her head in pain, Ralts pushed herself up. _I don't know what to do, Max. _ Max gritted his teeth. "Alright, so Psychic won't do anything, and the only other attack that we can use that will do damage is Energy Ball." He grinned sheepishly. "Guess now I know how you felt when Pikachu battled Golett, huh."

Ash grinned back. "Those battles are awesome too. When you can't find an obvious way to win, you gotta improvise."

Max smiled. "Okay then. Ralts, Energy Ball!" Crossing her arms, Ralts gathered energy from her surroundings between her arms and chest. The glittering orb of energy shot towards Scraggy.

Ash smiled. "Scraggy, block it." Scraggy watched the orb as it speed towards him, and pulled up his leathery 'pants', nearly covering his entire body, and braced himself. The Energy Ball crashed into the thick layer of skin, exploding into a large cloud of smoke. As the smoke dissipated, Scraggy lowered his pants, smirking at Ralts. "Scrag scraggy scrag." (That the best you got?) Ash chuckled. "Scraggy's taken a lot worse hits than that with his pants, Max. Scraggy, try a Focus Blast!" Placing his hands together, Scraggy concentrated hard, and a orb of blue light formed between his palms, rapidly growing larger.

Iris smiled. "Well, at least forming the Focus Blast is becoming a lot smoother."

Thrusting his hands forward, Scraggy shot the Focus Blast at Ralts. The ball of energy raced forward, then took a sharp turn and spiralled into the air, finally exploding.

Ralts tilted her head so far back, trying to keep sight of the Focus Blast, that she lost her balance and fell onto her back. "Ral ra ra ralralts? Ral ra." (Was that a joke? I can't tell.)

Ash sighed. "Still haven't managed to get it. Okay Scraggy, High Jump Kick!" Jumping into the air, Scraggy front flipped and descended like a meteor, his knee glowing brightly. Ralts's eyes widened, and she scrambled to avoid the incoming attack, but failed to move fast enough. Scraggy smashed into her body knee first, driving the air from her lungs and embedding her in the ground.

Max nearly screamed. "Ralts!"

Scraggy jumped out of the small crater, a satisfied smile on his face. Ralts laid in the crater, a dazed look half visible on her face.

Professor Juniper raised her hand. "Ralts is unable to battle, Scraggy is the winner, and Ash wins the match."

Max rushed out to the battlefield. "Ralts, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I must have froze or something." Ralts shivered slightly. _I...I'll be fine, once I get out of this hole. Scraggy as a pointy knee._

Scraggy stepped up to the crater and held out his hand. "Scrag." (Here.)

Ralts looked up at him in confusion. "Ral?" (Huh?) She hesitated for a moment, then managed to raise her arm and take Scraggy's hand.

Scraggy grunted, and pulled backwards with a gentle heave. Ralts slid out of the crater, and Scraggy dusted her off. "Scraggy scrag, scra scraggy gy." (That was fun, we should do it again sometime.) He smiled at her.

Ralts looked at him cautiously, then smiled. "Ralral." (Yes, lets.) With a flash of light, she teleported onto Max's back, wrapping her arms around his neck. _He's not as scary as I thought. He's nice._

Dawn smiled. "Max put up a good fight, but Ash has loads more experience than him. Plus, he's had lots of practice getting out tight spots like that."

Cilan nodded. "That is true. Overcoming adversity is one of Ash's special talents."

Ash and Max sat down next to the fire, and Ash grinned at Dawn. "Told ya I had it."

Dawn smiled warmly back at him. "I never doubted that you did."

* * *

Hours later, long after dinner had been served and the moon was high in the sky, painting the landscape with a faint silver light, the group remained around the camp fire. The bulk of the reason was Iris's demands to know how Ash got Gible, which grew into stories of his journey through Sinnoh, which in turn came to Hoenn, and at last Dawn's and Max's own travels and events after going on their own.

Throughout the conversations, Ash found it increasingly difficult to keep his eyes off of Dawn. He marvelled at the way that the firelight seemed to play on her skin, and the way her dark hair framed her face.

He sighed as opened a bag of Pokemon food and handed a piece to Pachirisu, who had been begging for food all night. _I just don't understand it. I'm happy that she's here, but now I'm even more distracted than before._

Dawn studied his face, suddenly concerned with his serious expression. _What is he thinking? I've haven't seen him so despondent since his battle with Paul at Lake Acuity. _She sighed as folded her hands and stared into the glimmering coals of the dying fire, where Quilava had chosen to curl up for sleep. _Oh, Ash, why can't I tell you what I feel. You're always with the others, and I can't figure out whether you feel the same or not. _A yawn took her by surprise. "Wow, it's really late." _Another day without a word._

Cilan glanced up at the sky. "It is awfully dark, and we've still got a long ways to go to get to Undella Town." He turned to Professor Juniper, who was intently watching Quilava. "Professor, would you mind if I asked why you are heading to the World Tournament?"

Iris stifled her own yawn. "Yeah. Is it because of all the new Pokemon you'll get to see?"

Juniper smiled as she turned her attention to the pair. "Kind of. You've heard of C-Gear, the company that manufactures Cross Transceivers, right?"

Cilan nodded, while Iris desperately tried to keep her eyes open.

Juniper continued. "Well, C-Gear and Silph Co., a company based in the Kanto region, are partnering with a group of independent programmers, engineers, technicians, as well as all of the regional Professors to create a new Pokeball Transfer System. Up until now, Trainers from other regions that came to Unova only had access to what Pokemon they had brought with them, and what Pokemon they had caught in Unova, and vise versa. Unova isn't connected to the same system as Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh are. But this new system is looking to change that, and it's a project that the two companies have been working on for some time. I'm technically not supposed to tell all of you this, but the finished project is supposed to be completed and unveiled at the World Tournament."

Dawn smiled at Ash. "Wow, that that means that you'll be able to use Pokemon other than what you've caught here, a chance to show all the Pokemon you've met and become friends with over your journey, like you did at the Sinnoh League."

Ash nodded, oddly quiet. _I don't understand what I'm feeling. This is just too weird._

Dawn frowned and waved at him. "Ash? Helloooo? Still with us?"

He jerked. "Yeah, just, kinda tired, that's all. I should probably get some sleep." Standing up, he made his way over to his sleeping bag and crawled inside, leaving most of his outer clothing in a pile next to him. Pikachu crawled up onto the pile and curled up, almost instantly asleep.

Cilan smiled. "Well, if Ash and Pikachu are tired, then I guess it is way past time for the rest of us to get some sleep. Besides, if we stay up any more, Iris is going to fall into the fire." He glanced at the girl sitting next to him. "Iris?"

The dragon trainer was snoring quietly, already fallen asleep. Professor Juniper smiled. "I guess that confirms it. Time for bed."

Dawn gave one last glance at Ash as she climbed into her own sleeping bag. _Something is wrong, I can feel it. I wish I could help you, Ash._

* * *

_Dawn looked around her in the darkness. She couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything but the sound of the blood pumping through her ears. Growing frightened, she cried out. _Ash! Piplup! Pikachu! Everyone, where are you! _The only answer was the echo of her own voice. _

_ Suddenly, a light glimmered in the distance. She turned towards it, wondering what it was. A voice reached her ears, echoing along the distance. _Dawn! Dawn, where are you!_ She grew excited. _Ash! Ash, I'm here!_ She caught sight of him, running towards her. Pumping her legs against a ground she could not see, she ran towards him. _

_ As they grew closer together, her heart beat faster and harder against her ribs, until she felt like it might burst out of her chest. She could see a determined look on Ash's face. _Dawn! Where are you, say something! I'm here! I'm right in front of you!_ She slowed to a stop, then flinched as he ran straight through her. Whirling around in surprise, she stared at Ash's back, who had stopped as well. He looked around, frustration and desperation stamped across his features. _Come on, where is she? Why? Why couldn't I tell her? _She looked at his back in equal desperation. _I'm right here. What couldn't you tell me? _She lunged forward, but her hand passed through his body, like she was a ghost. Nearly sobbing, she watched him run away. _

* * *

Dawn awoke with a startled gasp, sitting bolt up straight. Panting, she stared into the darkness of the trees, pressing her hand to her chest. Beneath the thin fabric of her night shirt, she could feel her heart hammering, like it was trying to escape a prison.

"Pip?" (Dawn?) Dawn turned to her side, and saw Piplup blearily looking up at her. She smiled. "It's okay, Piplup. Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep." Piplup blinked for a moment, then closed his eyes and returned to his own, more cheerful dreams.

Sighing, Dawn shook her head. "What was that about?" she whispered to herself. She looked around the camp to see if she had awoken anyone else, then stopped as her eyes saw Ash's empty sleeping bag. Pikachu was curled up inside Ash's hat, his tail sticking out at an angle as he slept. The pile of clothes that he had first slept on had vanished. Ash himself was nowhere to be seen.

Fear and concern invaded Dawn's mind, and she forced herself to take a breath. "He probably just took a walk. All of his stuff is still here, and Ash would never abandon his Pokemon." Grabbing her own clothes, she quickly changed inside her sleeping bag, then slid out and made her way to Ash's sleeping bag, taking care not to wake anyone else.

Noticing a set of foot prints leading away, she followed them to the edge of the camp, then stared into the forest. "Where did you go, Ash. What are you thinking." Looking up at the sky, she noticed that it had become lighter. Climbing up one of the trees, she looked around and noticed the brightening horizon. She squinted, and noticed a cliff side not far from the camp.

A memory flashed through her mind, of their second time at Lake Valour, for the Sinnoh Grand Festival.

* * *

_Dawn was sitting on the shore of the lake, watching as the distant horizon grew brighter and brighter. Today was the Grand Festival Finals, and Dawn couldn't help but worry about her upcoming match against Zoey. _

_ Footsteps caused her to turn around, and she smiled as she saw Ash approaching. "Hi, what are you doing up?"_

_ Ash grinned at her. "I could ask you the same thing, but I think I can guess the answer. Worrying about your match?"_

_ Dawn smiled as he sat down next to her, and she poked the sand with her foot. "Yeah. I've been waiting for a moment like this my whole life, and now that it's here, I'm kinda stuck. I keep thinking that something is going to go wrong, that I'll choke or something."_

_ Ash smiled as he studied the water. "I don't suppose that it would reassure you to know that everyone gets those worries, would it?"_

_ Dawn gave him a look. "You don't. I've never seen you worry over a Gym battle."_

_ Ash chuckled. "Naw, Gym battles are easy. It's like when you do a normal Contest. Eventually, you realize it's not worth worrying over. League battles are when I get antsy."_

_ She stared at him. "I don't believe that. You never get nervous."_

_ Ash laughed. "I do. It's bigger when you're in a tournament like that. Everything is bigger. You're competing against hundreds of other Trainers, each of them incredibly tough, who fought hard to get where they are, and you wonder if you're good enough."_

_ Dawn looked at him in wonder. "Yeah. That's exactly how I feel. I mean, all those other Coordinators, they fought tooth and nail to get here, and here I am in the finals, and I don't know if I can do it. And on top of that, I'm going up against Zoey, who I know is insanely talented, and she's my friend."_

_ Ash clapped her on the shoulder. "What if I let you in on a secret?"_

_ She glanced at him. "What?"_

_ He grinned at her. "Back when I was in Kanto, I battled against a guy named Ritchie."_

_ She frowned at him. "You told me this already. You lost because Charizard didn't listen to you."_

_ Ash nodded. "Here's the part that I didn't tell you. Ritchie and I had met just after I got to the Indigo League Tournament. We were really alike, both really passionate about battles. I was looking forward to battling him." He winked at her. "And the night before the match, I panicked."_

_ Dawn stared at him in surprise. "Really?"_

_ He nodded. "When I was competing in the Silver League Tournament in Johto, I battled against Gary. And the night before the match, I panicked. Ever Grande League Tournament, Hoenn, Morrison, panicked the night before."_

_ Dawn could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Every time?"_

_ Ash nodded. "Yep. Every time." He turned back to the lake. "It's scary when you're in a big competition, and you're going up against your rival. But every time I woke up in a sweat, I would watch the sunrise. And as I watched it, I realized that I wasn't just going up against my rival. I was battling with my friend." He turned and winked at her again. "It really hit me in Hoenn. At the start of my match with Morrison, he wasn't doing so well. I realized that he didn't want to fight me, because we were friends. So, right there on the battlefield, I told him that, no matter what happened, we would stay friends, so we should give it our all. It helped him focus, and we had a really fun battle."_

_ He placed his arm around her shoulders. "What I'm trying to say is, don't worry about the match. Focus on the fact that you're battling with Zoey, that even if you win, or she wins, that you'll always be friends, so why not give it your all, and have a blast while you're at it."_

_ Dawn smiled, and laid her head on his shoulder. "Ya know, that kinda makes sense." She grinned up at him. "Thanks Ash."_

_ He smiled and squeezed her with his arm. "You're my friend, Dawn. I'm always gonna be here to help you out." He grinned at her. "And hey, I'll make you a bet. We get to the Lily of the Valley League Tournament, the night before my battle with Paul, I'm gonna panic again." _

_ Dawn laughed. "In that case, I will see you on some rooftop, watching the sunrise."_

_ Ash chuckled. "Deal."_

_ Dawn sighed happily as she raised her head. "Ash? Really, thank you. I needed this."_

_ Ash pulled his arm from around her shoulders, smiling as the sun broke over the horizon. "Of course. No need to worry, right?"_

_ Dawn grinned. "Right."_

* * *

Dawn sighed as she looked at the encroaching sunrise and the cliff side. "As good a place to start as any."

* * *

Ash was sitting against a tree when Dawn found him. He was looking up at the sky, something that he hadn't done in a few days since Dawn and Max had joined them. But tonight, he had just needed some space to think.

Dawn hesitated nearby, watching the shape of the boy she loved illuminated in the waning moonlight and waxing sunlight. She looked towards the horizon, which was painted with bands of red, orange, and gold. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

"Ash?"

He jerked, turning around to see her. "Dawn! Hi. I didn't hear you coming." He frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Dawn shook her head. "No, everything's fine. I didn't see you when I woke up, and you're not usually up this early, so I wondered if something might be wrong."

Ash shook his head as he turned back to watching the impending sunrise. "Nah, I'm good. I've just been doing some thinking, that's all."

Dawn smiled as she walked closer. "Would you mind if I thought with you?"

Ash grinned as he shifted over. "No, that's fine. I'd appreciate it, actually."

Dawn sat down next to him. The ground was cold against her skin, and she realized that a short skirt was not the best thing to wear in the early morning. "So, what were you thinking about?"

He sighed. _Maybe why I can't seem to concentrate around you? _"Just, my journey. The things I've seen and done, people I've met. I realized that, I've probably seen more things than most people have seen in their life times. It's hard to believe that I've been so lucky."

Dawn smiled as she inched a little closer. "I know what you mean. Seeing Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Arceus, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Suicune, Rakou, Entei, Celebi, it's amazing really."

Ash nodded. "And not just them. Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Lugia, Ho-oh, Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza, Deoxys, the Regi's, Jirachi, Manaphy, Mew, even Mewtwo. Most people don't get to see them ever, and I've seen some of them multiple times. And now, I've seen Zekrom and Reshiram, and Tornadus, Thunderus, and Landorus. How many legendaries can there be in the world? And why do I get to see so many of them?"

He fell silent, gazing up at the lightening sky. Most of it didn't make sense to him. And he didn't know if he wanted it to make sense.

Dawn turned and looked at him. She found herself examining his face, the way that the light seemed to accent his features. Her eyes were drawn to his, noting how his soft brown eyes seemed equally kind yet serious. She searched for something in them, searched for the fire that she always remembered being there.

She could see the sparks, but the fire had burned low.

She swallowed nervously. "Ash?"

He turned and looked at her. "Yeah?"

She averted her eyes, turning to look at the horizon. "I've been thinking too. About my journey. Not so much the things I've done, though that has been amazing, but more about the people I've met."

Ash frowned slightly. "Okay?"

She pulled nervously at her skirt. "I've met a lot of people. I mean, there's Zoey, who I think is one of my closest friends. Paul, jerk that he is. Reggie, Brock, Ursula, Conway," she shivered slightly, "creep that he is, Maylene, all the gym leaders really. Cynthia, May, Max, Nando." She turned and looked at Ash.

"You."

Ash leaned back to get a better look at Dawn. There was something different about her. "Dawn, are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, no need to worry. It's just, there's so many people. And, I think they've all changed me. I'm not the same person that I was when I first started out. Maybe I've grown. For the better. You know?" Dawn looked at him hopefully.

Ash paused. "Yeah." He nodded. "I understand. I'm not the same person I was when I started either. I mean, I can recognize him, but, now, I'm so much more than that."

Dawn smiled. "And, I've been thinking about how I've changed. Who had the greatest effect on me."

Ash smiled back. "And whose that?"

Dawn's smile turned shy. "You, Ash."

That startled him. "Me?"

Dawn nodded, hoping that she wasn't about to scare him away. "It's just, you've taught me, and shown me, a lot. I don't know if I would be the person that I am now without you. I just, wanted you to know, and to thank you. For everything."

Ash turned and looked at the ground. _Whoa._ "You really mean that?"

Dawn nodded. "I do."

He turned and looked at her, a smile spreading across his face. "Well, you're welcome Dawn. I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Dawn smiled as her heart soared. She had to say it now. "And, Ash, there's something else."

He frowned. "What?"

Dawn looked down at her lap, plucking at her skirt. "It's kind of why I'm here. After you and Brock left, a few weeks maybe, I left to compete in contests in Hoenn. I was so excited. But, when I got there, I didn't do well at all." She paused as tears started to form in her eyes. Ash looked at her worriedly.

"I just couldn't concentrate. None of my ideas for appeals were working, I couldn't even get through some of the entry rounds in some cases. It was like in Sinnoh, when I was in that slump."

Ash placed his hand on her shoulder. "So, what, you wanted my advice? Dawn, you could have just called me. You didn't need to come all the way here."

Dawn nodded, brushing the tears from her eyes, hoping that he hadn't seen them. "It's not that. As I got worse, I started thinking more about you. The things we had done together. I started wondering where you were, who you were with, what you were doing. And, as I was thinking, I realized something."

Ash leaned over, trying to look at her face. "What?"

She raised her head and looked at him. "I realized that, without you, I'm good. I can do appeals, I can do battles. But, I'm better with you. When I think about you, when I'm with you, everything just goes better. I learned a lot from you Ash. I learned how to adapt strategies, how to care for my Pokemon. And, I'm just a better person when I'm with you."

Ash frowned. "Dawn, what are you saying?"

Dawn took a deep breath. "That I...I..."_ Fuck, why can't I say it!_ "...I...love...you."

Ash froze. He wasn't sure that he had heard her correctly.

Dawn shivered slightly. "I love you, Ash. I think I've loved you from the moment I met you, that day when I saw you save Pikachu from Team Rocket. I can't stop thinking about you, Ash. I love you."

Ash turned and looked at the ground. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do.

Dawn looked at him desperately, and her heart plummeted. He didn't understand. "Ash?"

He didn't move.

Dawn blinked as fresh tears formed in her eyes. She understood. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I'll go." She got to her feet and ran back towards the camp.

Ash remained sitting. "She loves me." he whispered. He turned and looked in the direction that she had ran. "Love."

As he thought, and pondered, something in his mind clicked. Everything he had been feeling, everything he had been thinking about, suddenly made sense. Not completely, he was still very confused about some things. But he suddenly understood what he was feeling.

* * *

Cilan stretched out as he slipped from his sleeping bag. He smiled as he watched the others awaken. "Ah, an excellent night's rest. Good morning everyone."

Iris glared at him with sleep filled eyes. "Sure. Remind me never to stay up so late with you around. A girl does need her sleep you know."

Max glanced around the camp. "Hey, where's Ash? And Dawn?"

* * *

Dawn stumbled and ran, desperately trying to stop her tears from falling. She had laid her heart out, and he hadn't taken it.

She stopped next to a tree, leaning against it as her tears spilled over, tracing wet tracks down her face. Now she knew how Kenny had felt after she had beaten him.

She froze when she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned around.

Ash stood in front of her. He gazed at her, and clasped both her shoulders in his hands. Dawn's heart sped up as he simply looked at her.

Finally, he spoke. "You want to know the truth, Dawn?"

She nodded.

He glanced off to the side, then back at her. "The truth is, I've been having problems of my own recently. I haven't been able to train very well. I've been distracted." His hands slid down her arms, making her shiver. He clasped her hands. "And you know what's been distracting me?"

She shook her head, unable to speak.

He gazed into her eyes, the deep, dark blue pools that so many times before had calmed him, given him solace. "You."

Dawn's heart stopped.

Ash sighed, his hands slipping lower to clasp her waist. Her hands instinctively slid up to his wrists, simply holding him. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either, Dawn. I don't know when it started, but every thought, every idea, somehow turns to you. You learned a lot from me? I learned a lot from you. You showed me how things are never as bad as they seem. That there is always a way. You showed me new ways to train, to fight, to live."

Through out it all, Ash had been unconsciously moving closer to her. She found her back pressed against the tree, the bark cool and rough. His hands were firm on her hips, trapping her between his body and the tree. His head slowly moved closer to hers, until they were mere inches apart.

Ash didn't know what he was doing. He was running on pure instinct, his body moving on its own accord. All he knew was that his heart was pounding a rhythm that it hadn't before, that his attention was entirely focused on the girl in front of him. Her eyes were wide, drawing him into their cool, inviting depths. He wanted to lose himself in them, but his heart and mind had other plans.

"The truth, Dawn, is that I love you. I don't know how it started. I couldn't tell you if I tried. But I understand it now. I love you, Dawn."

Inch by inch, breath by breath, moment by moment, their heads drew closer together. Dawn couldn't move, didn't want to. Slowly, her eyes drifted closed, her hands sliding up his arms, twining around his neck. Ash's hands wrapped around her waist as he drew closer, until he held her firmly against his body, lightly pressing her against the tree. He had no intention of going anywhere. His eyes closed, and his head tilted slightly.

Their lips met, and Dawn's heart began crashing against her ribs, as if trying to escape and merge with Ash's. His lips were warm and firm against hers, insistent but not pressing. She pulled him tighter, suddenly craving his touch. She loved him, the feel of his lips against hers, the feel of his body enveloping hers in a warm, strong embrace that promised to never let her go. She could feel the wild rhythm of his heart beating through their chests, syncing with hers like two drums playing the same beat.

Inside her mind, she briefly compared Ash's kiss to Kenny's. Kenny had been rushed, desperate. Ash was firm, yet gentle, assured despite his inexperience. She found that she infinitely preferred him to Kenny.

Ash was so deep into unfamiliar territory, if he hadn't been so caught up in the moment, he would have panicked. As it was, his mind was on the verge of total shut down. Dawn's lips were soft and gentle, her arms pulling him closer. The feeling spreading through him was utterly indescribable.

* * *

Not too far off, Ralts was chewing a piece of Pokemon food that Cilan had prepared, when she froze and dropped it. The sun broke over the treeline, filling the camp with golden light.

Max noticed, and looked at her in concern. "Ralts? What is it?" He placed a hand on her head, and found that it was rapidly growing warmer, almost hot. "Ralts? What's wrong!"

Iris and Cilan looked over, and Ralts suddenly began vibrating slightly. "Is she okay?" Cilan asked.

Max knelt in front of his partner worriedly. "I don't know. Ralts, tell me something!"

_It's good!_ Everyone blinked at the mental voice. _The emotions! They're good. So good! They're so warm, like a fire that doesn't burn! I feel so warm, so strong! Somewhere, they feel really good! It's so happy! I can't, I think..._

Ralts suddenly glowed brightly, enveloped in a pure white light. Max stepped backwards in surprise.

Waves of energy began to drift and flow around her body, and Ralts began growing in size, nearly doubling in height. The horns on her head shifted, moving from the front and back of her head to either side, growing more curved as her head widened. Her hair parted and grew longer, falling down either side of her face, revealing her glowing red eyes. The loose skin around the bottom of her body split into sections and raised upwards, forming something similar to a ballerina's dress and revealing a pair of long, thin legs. Her arms grew longer, curving into a gentle semi-circle.

The light that enveloped her body began to fade, and the energy dissipated. Max stared at his partner in awe.

The new Pokemon smiled in sheer joy. "Kirlia!" (Whoa!) She suddenly threw herself into a spin, rotating rapidly on one narrow foot. She stopped, and laughed. "Kir kirlia!" (I can't believe it!) She threw herself at Max, wrapping the stunned boy in a hug.

_Max. I'm so happy. I've never felt this happy before! I'm filled with energy. I feel like I could dance forever!_

She let him go and jumped backwards, landing daintily on her feet. She started spinning and whirling around the camp, her high pitched laugh ringing through the air.

* * *

Within the shadows of the trees, Ash and Dawn were still locked in their embrace, completely oblivious to their surroundings. The sunlight managed to pierce the shaded forest, illuminating the pair in the golden light of the sunrise.

Finally, their lungs demand for air proved too great, and the pair reluctantly separated, albeit only a few breaths apart. Both were breathing hard when they opened their eyes, gazing at each other in wonder.

Ash was the first to speak. "Whoa."

Dawn giggled, though she wasn't sure why the word was so funny. "That was..." words failed her, "...nice."

Ash nodded. "Yeah."

Dawn gazed deep into his brown eyes. It was like looking into the warm earth itself, a familiar friendly fire. "Have you ever done that before?"

Ash blushed slightly. "Kinda. When I was in Alto Mare, a girl kissed me on the cheek."

Dawn stared at him. "Really?"

Ash looked down. "But, I don't know if it was really her. While I was there, I met this Latias that kind of had a crush on me, and she liked to change her appearance so that she looked like this girl. Plus, it was on the cheek, so it doesn't really count. What about you?"

Dawn glanced down as well, their foreheads resting against each other. "Just before Max and I left Hoenn, I ran into Kenny. He kissed me, and told me he loved me."

Ash raised his head and looked at her in confusion. "What did you do?"

Dawn smiled as she looked up. "I gave him a shove, and then thrashed him in a battle. I think I may have broken his heart." Her face turned sad. Despite what he had done, Kenny was still her friend.

Ash pondered that. "Oh." He thought for a moment, looking at her. Within seconds, he had totally forgotten about Kenny. He was completely absorbed in looking at Dawn.

"You know, you look beautiful." He said simply.

Dawn looked at him, her eyes shining. "You think so?"

Ash nodded, smiling. "Yeah. I mean it."

Dawn smiled, and laid her head on his shoulder. He turned both of them around, leaning against the tree as he held her tightly. Finally, she looked up at him.

"Ash, where do we go from here?" she asked.

He looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She looked at his chest, then back into his eyes. "With us. What are we going to do? Do we tell anyone? I mean, I have to tell my mom, and your mom should know too. But what about Brock? And Max, Cilan and Iris? They'll be sure to notice something. Where do we go from here?"

Ash thought for a moment. "We do what we've always done. We'll go back to camp, and if somebody says something, we'll tell them the truth. Plain, and simple. Eventually, we'll tell everyone else. And we'll go forward, just like we did in Sinnoh. We'll figure it out." He smiled. "No need to worry, right?"

Dawn smiled. "Right. Sounds good to me." She looked at him hopefully. "But, do we have to go back to camp right now?"

Ash chuckled. "No, not yet. I'm kind of new to this. And you know me, constantly training." He kissed her again, and she pulled herself closer to him.

* * *

Cilan glanced around with concern. _I wonder if something happened. Kirlia said that she could sense positive emotions, but they could have been outside her range. _He frowned. _I wonder what her range is._ A thought suddenly occurred to him. _Unless, maybe._ He looked at the spinning Kirlia, who almost seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. She was juggling Pachirisu, Axew, and Pansage with her Psychic, laughing the whole while. _Perhaps Ash was able to figure out what he was feeling. And maybe he also found his feelings reciprocated._

Iris caught a motion out of the corner of her eye, and looked up. "Well, look who's back. Where did you two wander off to?"

Ash and Dawn smiled sheepishly as they walked out of the trees. "We were just talking." Dawn answered.

Cilan raised an eyebrow as he saw Dawn's hand slip into Ash's, and also noticed how close they were walking together. He smiled. _I see. So this is a happy occasion._

Blue light surrounded both of Trainer and Coordinator, and they gave a startled exclamation as they rose into the air, Dawn's hand clapping tighter around Ash's who squeezed hers in reassurance. Kirlia leaped in front of them, spinning happily.

_You did it! You are each other. I can see your emotions, they flow so strongly, like a river of happiness! Thank you! Thank you so much! I never thought anyone could feel like this!_

Ash smiled widely at the newly evolved Pokemon. "You evolved, Ralts? That's awesome." A thought suddenly occurred to him, and both he and Dawn blushed. "So, you felt us, huh?" Dawn smiled awkwardly.

Max grinned at the embarrassed pair. _Looks like Dawn finally fessed up. And I'm guessing that Ash figured his own stuff out. I wonder who said it first._ "Seeing Ralts evolve into Kirlia was pretty cool, and I guess that we have you two to thank for it."

Iris gave them a strange look as Kirlia set them on the ground. "You sure all you did was just talk?"

Ash grinned at her, then leaned over and kissed Dawn's cheek. "Yeah. Why do you ask?" Dawn smiled warmly, and planted a return kiss right on his lips, causing Iris's eyes to nearly bulge out of her sockets.

Professor Juniper sighed in both happiness and resignation. Now she was going to have to keep an eye on them. "Alright, enough questions, get over here. We've been waiting for you so we can have breakfast."

Pikachu and Piplup glanced at each other as Ash and Dawn sat next each other by the now dead fire, smiled, and raised their respective paw and wing in a high-five.

_At last, we have come to the climax! Ain't love just grand? I hope you all had as much fun reading this as I had writing it. I will keep this listed as Incomplete, because I am thinking that I may move on to the World Cup, for that will give me a chance to see what mischief our two lovers can get up to. I already have some ideas for a second climax, and if the result is any bit as glorious as I can see, you will love it. I may end up having to bump up the rating to an M to do all that I want, just to be on the safe side, but rest assured, it will be readable for most people. I don't want to get kicked off here._


	10. Chapter 10

_Okay. This is interesting. I suppose that this could be considered 'book two'. I imagine that some people would have liked to play matchmaker for a while, but in my honest opinion, I couldn't really see that happening. Plus, it seems unnecessarily cruel to me._

_ On the upside, I'm sure that everyone knows that there is no such thing as paradise, that every relationship is like a rollercoaster. It goes up, it goes down, and sometimes it gets so corkscrewy you can't remember the difference._

Dawn hummed happily as she watched the countryside roll by out the window. It had been two days since she had told Ash that she loved him, and had learned that he felt the same about her, though he hadn't known it until then. And now, she couldn't be happier.

_You know, it doesn't really surprise me that Ash didn't know he was in love. He always was kind of dense when it came to romance. It was kind of cute._ she thought.

A humming sound drew her attention. She glanced up and giggled quietly. Ash was leaning against the door of the jeep, snoring quietly. His hat was scrunched up a little, and his face was stuck to the seatbelt. She smiled as she snuggled closer to him, leaning her head against his shoulder. She glanced down, hoping that she hadn't disturbed the two occupants of their laps.

Pikachu was curled up on Ash's, the Trainer's hand resting on his partner's head, the Mouse Pokemon's pointed ears pushed down at odd angles. His lightning bolt tail was tucked in front of his body, his breathing soft and even. Piplup, her own partner, sat against her stomach, her hand curled protectively around his body. His blue head had fallen forward as he slumbered, his short beak just brushing against her index finger. The short cape of feathers that projected from the back of the Penguin Pokemon's neck was bent down between their bodies.

Dawn smiled as she watched the pair of Pokemon sleep. They were just like their Trainers. A boring car ride was a sure sedative. She yawned as she felt her own eyelids grow heavy, and she snuggled closer to Ash.

A sudden bump in the road jerked them into the air, slamming them back down into the seat. Both Pokemon toppled from their resting places with a startled cry. Needless to say, all four were wide awake.

Dawn groaned as she rubbed the side of her face, suddenly wondering why every girlfriend, including herself, preferred a hard shoulder as a pillow. Ash grunted as he pushed himself up, hoping that the intrusion into his sleep was worth it.

Professor Juniper smiled back at the quadrio in apology. "Sorry about that, didn't see the hole in the road."

Next to her, Max chuckled as Kirlia rubbed her eyes. "Hey, at least you're a better driver than Professor Birch. It still amazes me how he managed to get a driver's license, and why it hasn't been revoked yet."

Dawn stared at the pair in the front. "She apologized, which means I'm not dreaming about driving with Cynthia again."

Ash grinned down at the body leaning against his. "And how often does this dream include us being in this position?"

Dawn smiled up at him as Piplup scrambled back into her lap, Pikachu easily making the jump into Ash's. "It hasn't, but I think it will now."

Professor Juniper glanced up in the rearview mirror and smiled at the pair. "Easy you two." She noticed the jeep behind them signaling to pull over and frowned.

The pair of jeeps slid off the road, and all doors opened. Pikachu and Piplup jumped out of the lead vehicle first, stretching after the long ride. Ash and Dawn slid out after them, hands held loosely. Max slid out of the front passenger door, Kirlia elegantly landing in front of him. Professor Juniper walked around the front of the vehicle.

A few feet away from them, Cilan and Iris stepped out of the back seat of the second jeep, joined by Professor Juniper's pair of field assistants, Greg and Charlie, as they slid out of the front.

Cilan smiled. "I was taking a look around, and I was thinking that this was a perfect spot for lunch."

Ash and Dawn grinned at each other. "Cilan does make great food." Ash commented. He glanced up at the vast blue sky. "And it is great outside."

Dawn winked. "Of course, we can't just hog it to ourselves." She pulled her Pokeballs from the belt beneath the edge of her tank-top as Ash removed his own from his belt.

A few minutes later, the group was arranged in a circle, surrounded by everyone's Pokemon. Dawn hugged her knees and sighed contentedly. "I have to agree with Ash. I don't know who makes better food, you or Brock, Cilan."

Cilan bowed his head smoothly. "Thank you, Dawn, and thank you for teaching me how to make Poffins. I will have to show my brothers the next time I see them." He glanced at his bag of ingredients thoughtfully. "If Brock is as good a cook as you say, then I wonder what sort of meal we could make together?"

Ash laid back with a moan. "Oh, man, if that happens I am going to die. But at least I'll die full."

Dawn giggled as she laid down next to him, her head nestling on his shoulder. "I think you'd explode before that'd ever happen, but I would happily die with you."

Cilan grinned at the pair. "If you two aren't so full, I do have a question for Dawn. I would love to have an opportunity to evaluate you and your Pokemon."

Dawn sat up, her head tilted thoughtfully. "I don't know. I mean, your battle with Max was impressive."

Max smiled. "And you have a lot more experience than I do, so it's sure to be even better."

Dawn nodded. "But," she looked at Ash, who looked up at her curiously. "it's been a long time since you and I had a battle, and I really enjoyed our last serious one. If I remember, it was in the Hearthome Doubles Tournament. You were paired up with Paul, and I was with Conway." She shivered slightly, and Ash sat up and hugged her. "That was over a year ago. We've only had practice battles since."

Iris jumped up. "Oh, come on! I'm the only one who hasn't had an opportunity to battle a Pokemon from another region." Ash gave her a frank look, and she glared at him. "Pikachu doesn't count. We've had practice battles a bunch of times, and we've been traveling together."

Ash continued his frank look, then turned to Dawn. "She does have a point. Iris hasn't had a chance to battle either you or Max."

Professor Juniper smiled at the group. "Then your solution is obvious."

All the trainers looked at her. Cilan suddenly smiled. "Ah, of course. Iris and I both want to battle Dawn, and Dawn wants to both Ash and I. It truly is simple."

Ash, Dawn and Iris looked at the Connoisseur blankly. Max rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys. All four of you battle together, Ash and Dawn on one side, Cilan and Iris on the other."

Ash and Dawn looked at each other, and Ash grinned. "As I remember, we haven't been on the same side of a battle since we went against Lyra and Khoury, at the end of the Johto Festival. Why not? It'll be fun."

Dawn grinned back at him, her eyes reflecting the same battling passion rising in his. "It has been awhile, and I had a lot of fun that battle. You and me, no one can beat us." She turned and smiled in anticipation at Cilan and Iris, who were both suddenly struck by the matching personalities of the lovers. "Let's go."

Cilan bowed as Iris smiled determinedly. "If you don't mind, I would like this to be a real battle. I understand that Coordinators have a unique way of introducing their Pokemon." Cilan smiled. "Perhaps you both could do it?"

Dawn smiled and grabbed her backpack. "I'm pretty sure that I brought some seals and a couple extra ball capsules with me." She looked at Ash. "What Pokemon are you going to use."

A mixed look of thoughtfulness and seriousness crossed his face. "Hmm. Each of us is using one Pokemon, right?" Cilan and Iris nodded. Ash grinned. "I have an idea, but I'll make it a surprise."

Dawn smiled at him as he drew his Pokemon into a huddle. She knew that he was explaining what a seal would do, and how they were to behave with the result. The group gathered their Pokemon into their Pokeballs. Cilan looked with interest as Ash whispered something into Dawn's ear, and she slyly passed him a ball capsule and seal. He tried to catch a glimpse of the seal that she passed him, but the item was too small to see.

Max stepped up as the two teams took up positions on either side of the small field. "I got this, guys. Double Battle, here we go. Each side will be using two Pokemon, one per Trainer, with no substitutions. The match is over when both Pokemon on one side are unable to battle. Ready?" He glanced at the four Trainers, and smiled. "Battle begin!"

Cilan pulled a Pokeball from his waist. "I think a strong flavour from the start will be suitable for this battle. Crustle, my friend, it's your turn!" Tossing the Pokeball into air, he smiled as the sphere cracked in half, spilling white light from it's interior. The light quickly arced down to the ground, forming a large square shape. The light faded into a small cloud of sparkles, revealing the massive block of stone built of multiple layers. At the base of the stone was a small chamber, with four holes on either side. From the holes curved eight legs, covered in a sturdy red shell. Gazing out from within the chamber itself was a red crab-like Pokemon, its large eyes taking in its opponents with a grim expression. Stretching out from the Pokemon's body were a pair of stocky arms, tipped with large, black claws. The thin legs bent and pushed down, lifting the massive stone shell with deceptive strength. Stretching out his claws, the powerful Stone Home Pokemon loosed a challenging cry. "Cruuuuuuustle!"

Dawn swallowed slightly as she took in the intimidating sight. "Wow. He looks tough. I don't know if the Pokemon I picked can handle him." Ash grinned as he touched her arm in reassurance. "Crustle is strong, but I know a lot about him. Watch out when he uses Shell Smash. Cilan always uses it to strengthen Crustle before launching a powerful attack, but it leaves Crustle vulnerable to counterattack." Dawn nodded, her confidence and assurance once again rising to the surface.

Iris grinned as she pulled her own Pokeball out. "Let's make this a double power team. Excadrill, lets go!" Throwing her Pokeball forward, the sphere flashed open. The billowing light gathered on the ground, forming an oblong drill shape. The light faded, revealing a long brown Pokemon, various red splotches scattered around its body. Its head was covered by a grey cone. Evenly spaced around the cone were three sets of jagged points, sticking backwards like blades. At the opposite end of the Pokemon, a pair of small feet were clasped together. A growl issued from the Pokemon, and the cap suddenly split into three, forming a head and pair of thickset arms. The Pokemon pushed itself onto its wide set feet. The Pokemon's head was hunched over, the sharply pointed hood equally long as its face, which was dominated by a pale white snout. A pair of white eyes glared down the snout. Each arm ended in a shovel like appendage, which suddenly split into three razor sharp claws. Readying his claws in a battle stance, the fearsome Subterrene Pokemon growled his own battle cry. "Exxxxcadriiiiiiiiiill!"

Dawn gulped again. "Okay. They are really going all out on me, aren't they?" Ash grinned as he readied his Pokeball. "Hey, no need to worry, right? Excadrill's tough, and he moves faster than you would think. We'll be fine, right?" He winked at Dawn, who smiled back. "Yeah, no need to worry. We've got this in the bag." She turned to the other two Trainers. "You ready for this?"

Cilan smiled as he bowed to the pair. "I am eager to see whom you will bring to the battle." Iris sighed with impatience. "Come on already, lets get this going!"

Ash and Dawn smiled at each other as they raised their respective Pokeballs. "Lets show them what a real team can do! Oshawott, I choose you!" "Heads up you two! Togekiss, Curtain!" Both capsule bound Pokeballs, each adorned with a single seal, rose into the air and split open.

A stream of blue bubbles flowed from inside Ash's Pokeball, gathering into a floating sphere. A iridescent blue sword suddenly shot from the cloud, slashing through the bubbles with no impediment to its wide sweep. As the bubbles popped and burst into a shower of sparkling water, the grinning occupant was revealed. A short, stocky blue body supported a large white head. Tiny triangular ears marked the head, along with dark, confident eyes. Short, white arms grew from the body, and clasped in one paw was a creamy yellow seashell, forming the hilt of the glowing sword. Slim feet projected from the fur covered body, and a flat, wide tail hung down from behind the Pokemon. The glowing sword suddenly shrank down into the shell, which the Pokemon stuck to its flat stomach. Grinning broadly, Oshawott opened his mouth, revealing a pair of short fangs. "Oshawott!"

A cloud of glittering stars exploded from Dawn's Pokeball, lighting up the battlefield. A faintly visible white light formed an egg-shaped Pokemon, who suddenly spread its broad wings. The unidentified Pokemon slowly rotated around, stars trailing from its wings. The light faded, revealing the white feathered body, small red and blue triangles speckling the smooth stomach. Two delicate feet were held close against the body. A crest of three feathers swept back from the pointed head, one red, one white, and one blue. A pair of intelligent black eyes shimmered with happiness and kindness. Togekiss smiled happily as she spun through the sky, leaving a glittering trail of stars behind her. "Togeeeeeeeeeekiss!"

Oshawott easily landed on his feet, assuming a long practiced battle stance, keeping one paw held close to his stomach in preparedness of battle. Togekiss swooped down, elegantly landing beside him and bowing, sweeping one broad wing beneath her.

Iris stared in amazement. "Whoa. That...that...that was amazing! And all Coordinators do that?"

Dawn winked at her. "During a contest, yeah. Pokemon Contests are all about showing off your Pokemon, and Coordinators don't waste any time."

Cilan smiled happily as he gazed at Togekiss. "Amazing. Togekiss and Oshawott, combining confident power and graceful elegance. An entrance that demonstrated the best of their obvious traits, a beautiful dancer of the sky, and a powerful warrior of the water." He sighed. "Dawn, I think I now have a desire to become a Contest Connoisseur, if all Contests appear like this."

Ash grinned. "Careful, Cilan. We wouldn't want you to burn yourself out. Seeing two Coordinators perform is a whole nother kind of awesome, and Dawn is one of the best!"

Dawn could feel her cheeks burning at his compliment, and she knew that he meant it.

Iris clenched her fists. "Alright, enough is enough. Lets get this battle going. I'm going to love this. You can go first."

Dawn smiled at her partner. "So, what are we up against?" Ash grinned. "Crustle is a rock/bug type, and Excadrill is a ground/steel type. I'll take Crustle, since I know you have a surprise for Iris." Dawn nodded. "Right. That looks like a good match-up. Togekiss, up in the air and use Air Slash on Excadrill!" With a single stroke of her strong wings, Togekiss sped into the air. Her wings glowed brightly, and she spun around, sending a barrage of spinning blades of air zipping down towards her target.

Ash grinned. "Heads up, Cilan. Oshawott, Water Gun on Crustle!" Taking a deep breath, Oshawott concentrated on the build-up of water in his throat and shot it out of his mouth in a pressurized stream.

Cilan thrust out his hand. "Crustle, Protect!" Crustle pulled his legs inside his shell and covered main entrance with his claws. A gleaming green shield of energy covered the surface of the shell, and the water sprayed harmlessly against it.

Iris smiled. "Excadrill, you can easily take this." Excadrill crossed his claws in front of his face, a slight grin on his face. The spinning blades of air shattered against his steel claws, leaving barely a scratch.

Cilan nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps we should concentrate on Oshawott, Iris. He does have a type advantage over both of us."

Iris nodded. "Right, Togekiss might be a lot more agile than us, but it doesn't look like she can do much to us. Excadrill, use Metal Claw on Oshawott!"

Cilan smiled. "Crustle, use your own X-Scissor!"

Crouching low, Excadrill glared at the much smaller Sea Otter Pokemon, his claws glowing with a shiny silver gleam. Lunging forward, he took a long swipe at Oshawott. His eyes widening, Oshawott ducked under the attack, staggering out of Excadrill's reach. Crustle crossed his claws, and a blue glow surrounded them. Rapidly uncrossing them, the X-shaped energy shot towards Oshawott, who barely had time to pull his scalchop from his stomach. The attack crashed into the tiny shield, then broke and dispersed.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Oshawott's good, but he can't handle two on one." Dawn winked at him. "It's not two on one, remember? Like you said, Togekiss and I have a little surprise for Excadrill." Ash grinned. "Right. Oshawott, use Razor Shell on Crustle!"

Cilan frowned. "Hmm. I don't like this. They're up to something."

Iris shrugged. "They're kids, of course they're up to something. Excadrill, don't let Oshawott near Crustle! Metal Claw again!" Excadrill rushed after Oshawott, determined to catch the pint-sized Pokemon.

Dawn smiled. "Togekiss, intercept. Swoop down and use Aura Sphere!" Wheeling in the sky, Togekiss did two quick spins, then folded her wings and dove to the ground. Sweeping her wings out wide, she pulled up and barely missed Oshawott's head, skimming the ground. She opened her mouth, and a glowing blue sphere formed in front of it. The Jubilee Pokemon swept her wings forward, braking hard in midair, shot the sphere at Excadrill, then pumped her wings down and spiraled into the air. The Aura Sphere crashed into Excadrills chest, instantly slamming the surprised Subterrene Pokemon into reverse, and exploded, causing the bulky Pokemon to carve a short trench through the ground.

Oshawott held his scalchop out to the side, and a blue sword of energy sprang from it. Jumping into the air, the Sea Otter Pokemon somersaulted through the air and brought the sword down on the top of Crustle's shell. The impact of the strong attack vibrated through the shell, rattling Crustle in his chamber. Flipping around, Oshawott planted his feet on the flat top of the shell, and wrenched his sword from the narrow notch he had split.

Cilan stared in amazement. "That was unexpected. Aura Sphere is a powerful and rare fighting type attack, making it super effective against Excadrill's steel type. It also can't miss, which means Togekiss is much more dangerous than we thought."

Iris gritted her teeth. "Excadrill! Come on, you can get up!" Grunting in irritation, Excadrill pushed himself out of his self-made trench and glared up at the sky. Iris growled. "If she thinks she can push my Pokemon around like that, she is sorely mistaken, cuz we've got a strong fighting move of our own. Excadrill, Focus Blast!" A bright blue orb formed in Excadrill's claws, and he swung it skyward, where Togekiss flew simple figure-eights.

Dawn giggled. "Girl's got a temper, doesn't she. Togekiss, dodge it!" Sweeping around in a spiraling loop, Togekiss easily swept around the incoming attack, stretching her wings wide.

Cilan frowned again. "Togekiss has an odd way of moving. She almost exaggerates every movement, throwing extra spirals into her flight. It's almost like she's in a beauty pageant, instead of a battle."

Iris growled. "She's taunting us, just like a little kid. We need to take her down."

Cilan shook his head. "No. Togekiss may have an attack that is effective against Excadrill, but Oshawott is the bigger threat, and we both know how skilled a battler Ash is. Don't worry about Crustle, just target Oshawott."

Iris gritted her teeth. "Fine. Excadrill, use Drill Run on Oshawott."

Ash grinned. "Look's like it's our turn. Focus on Excadrill, but watch out for Crustle's Rock Wrecker. Cilan may try to knock Togekiss out of the sky while she attacks. Oshawott, use Aqua Jet!"

Excadrill lunged forward, throwing himself into a high speed spin as he clamped his claws around his hood, once again forming the drill shape that he had first appeared in. Propelled by his powerful legs, the Subterrene Pokemon shot towards Oshawott and Crustle.

Oshawott smiled in anticipation as a sphere of water enveloped him, and he rocketed towards Excadrill, keeping his eyes focused on the spinning tip of the Subterrene Pokemon.

Dawn watched the pair blast towards each other, and her eyes widened as an idea struck her. She turned and whispered something into Ash's ear, who grinned. "Oshawott, go into a corkscrew!" Oshawott glanced at his trainer for a moment, then shrugged and twisted his body, breaking out of the straight line and spiraling around. Excadrill blindly shot forward.

Iris's eyes widened. "What! Excadrill, no, stop!" Excadrill shifted one claw, and his eyes widened in surprise as he entered the tunnel of water formed by the corkscrewing Oshawott. His eyes widened further as he realized what lay at the end of the tunnel.

Dawn grinned. "Togekiss, charge it!" Togekiss rose in a wide loop in the sky, white light surrounding her body.

Cilan gritted his teeth as he watched the Jubilee Pokemon rise into the sky. "I recognize that attack, but I have no choice. Crustle, use Protect!" Once again, Crustle retreated inside his shell and covered it in an impenetrable field of energy. Excadrill, driven by his own momentum and the rush of air drawn into the tunnel of water, frantically waved his arms and managed to turn himself slightly, crashing shoulder first into Crustle's shell. Groaning, he collapsed in front of Crustle, blocking the Stone Home Pokemon's view.

Dawn grinned as Oshawott flipped out of his stream of water, landing on his feet. "Now's our chance. Togekiss, Sky Attack!" Ash's expression matched hers. "Oshawott, Water Gun!"

The glowing light surrounding Togekiss's body flashed brightly, and she spiraled around the top of her loop before dropping into a steep dive. Oshawott took a deep breath and fired a strong stream of water at Excadrill and the still shielded Crustle.

Iris growled. "Excadrill, get out of there! Use Dig!" Shaking his head, Excadrill pushed himself up, then clamped himself into his drill shaped and powered into the ground, raising a large cloud of dust. Oshawott's Water Gun blew a hole in the cloud, splashing harmlessly against Crustle's Protect shield. As the stream weakened and dispersed, the shield flickered and disappeared. Togekiss loosed a happy cry and smashed into the side of Crustle's shell, the powerful impact driving the Stone Home Pokemon several feet before the Jubilee Pokemon pushed away and beat into the air.

Ash gritted his teeth. "Almost. Excadrill normally live underground, and he can always retreat there if he needs to." Dawn frowned as she considered the problem. "Iris seems like a pretty aggressive person." Ash nodded. "Aggressive but level-headed. She doesn't bait easily. She and Excadrill are pretty similar."

Dawn thought for a moment. "I think I have an idea. No need to worry. Togekiss! Make a pass by Oshawott!" With swift beats of her wings, the Jubilee Pokemon flipped around and streaked toward her battle partner.

Ash grasped her idea in a moment. "That's always when I worry the most, but I gotcha. Oshawott, Aqua Jet, straight into the sky!" Oshawott glanced across the ground, nervously wondering where the bulky Excadrill was, then surrounded himself with water and shot into the sky. Togekiss, understanding Dawn's intention, drove her wings earthward and followed.

Excadrill burst out of the ground, angrily swiping his claws in Oshawott's direction, then rushed over to stand by Crustle, who patiently watched the sky.

Oshawott broke out of his stream of water, free-falling through the air for a moment. Togekiss spun around, a soft grunt emanating from her throat as she felt the Sea Otter Pokemon land on her back, wincing as his small paws grasped at her feathers. Spreading her wings wide, she took a long curve through the air, Oshawott's brow furrowed in concentration.

Iris gritted her teeth in frustration. "There's no way that Excadrill or Crustle can get up there."

Cilan nodded, his face somewhat grim. "And both Oshawott and Togekiss have good ranged attacks, which means they can stay up there as long as they like."

Quilava was idly watching the match when a faint scent on the breeze caught in his nose. Sniffing intently, he frowned. He vaguely recognized the smell, but it had been a long time since then. Sniffing again, he glanced at the battle, then jumped down from his friend's back and made is way to where Pikachu, Piplup, and Buneary were standing. Pausing, he sniffed the air again, then nudged Piplup's shoulder.

"Qui, quilavava quilava lava." (Hey, I smell something strange.)

Both Piplup and Pikachu turned and looked at the Volcano Pokemon. "Piplup pip pip luplup pip." (Are you sure, or is it just some ash stuck in your nose.) Piplup commented.

Quilava rolled his eyes. "Quilava lava quiqui quilava." (Shake the water out of your ears, bubblehead.)

Pikachu stepped between them, drawing Buneary and Axew's attention. "Pika, pikachu pikapika chu pika. Pikachu pipi pikachu chupi kachu?" (Come on guys, enough already. What is it Quilava?)

Quilava sniffed the air again. "Lavava quilava." (I'm not sure. )

Piplup gave him a strange look. "Piplup pippip luppip lup?" (How can you not know what it is?)

Quilava glanced at the battle. "Va quilava qui lavalava quilava, quilava vava. Quila ilava qui?" (It's not like anything else I've smelled before. You guys wanna check it out?)

Pikachu and Piplup glanced at each other, then back at the battle. "Pika pikachu. Pichu chuka pikapichu pikachu." (Why not. It might be awhile before they're done.)

Buneary instantly tackled him. "Bun bun!" (I'm coming too!)

Pikachu gasped for breath as he tried to push her off his back. "Pika, pikachu." (Alright, fine.)

Axew cautiously approached the small group. "Axew ew?" (Can I come?)

Piplup looked at the Tusk Pokemon, and shook his head. "Pip, pipluppip. Piplup piplup pip luplup piplup piplup." (No, you stay here. If they finish before we get back, you tell them where we went, okay?)

Axew nodded. "Ax." (Okay.)

Quilava gave the battle one last glance, then turned around. "Quilavalava quila." (Follow me guys.)

Mamoswine glanced down as the foursome passed by. "Mamo?" (Where're you going?)

Quilava smiled up at his large friend. "Quilava lava quilava." (Just checking something out.)

The Twin Tusk Pokemon looked at him for a moment, then turned his attention back to the battle. Quilava smiled, and the group continued on.

Snivy watched the small group out of the corner of her eye, then quietly slipped away.

Dawn grinned at her new boyfriend. "Well, shall we engage?" Ash grinned back at her. "What do you think?" Dawn smiled as she turned her face skyward. "Togekiss, go into a steep dive!" Ash clenched his fist. "Oshawott, hang on and get ready!" Oshawott tightened his grip as Togekiss flipped herself upside down, then folded her wings and bulleted for the ground. Oshawott's eyes watered slightly from the speed, but long practice with Aqua Jet had left him easily prepared to deal with it, maintaining perfect vision of Excadrill and Crustle.

Iris smiled. "Well, looks like they want to take the fight to us. Just like a pair of kids. Excadrill, Focus Blast!" Holding his claws close together, Excadrill concentrated and formed a large blue orb between them. Drawing back one large paw, he swung forward and hurled the powerful attack into the sky.

Togekiss extended her wings only slightly, just enough to regain control of her dive, and shifted to the side. The Focus Blast passed inches away from her belly, and neither flyer nor rider batted an eye.

Cilan frowned. "Hmm. Perhaps we should add some spice to their flight, and make their descent more difficult."

Iris nodded. "Right. Excadrill, Focus Blast, rapid fire!" Grunting with concentration, Excadrill hurled orb after orb of light at the approaching duo.

Cilan thrust out his hand. "Crustle, multiple X-Scissor's, if you will!" Crustle crossed his claws, sending a flurry of X-shaped energy blasts into the air.

Dawn clenched her fists. "No need to worry, Togekiss. This is just like when Staraptor and Gliscor went through Paul's Pin Missile. Use your opponents moves to show yourself off, just like you always do." Ash remained quiet for a moment. "Gliscor didn't make through Drapion's Pin Missile." he commented. Dawn merely blinked. "But Staraptor did, and Togekiss can get through this." Ash nodded. "But she could use help. Togekiss doesn't quite have the same flying experience that Staraptor had. Oshawott, shoot down the attacks with Water Gun!"

Togekiss frowned in concentration, watching the incoming Focus Blasts. Drifting and weaving with minimal movement, she almost seemed to float past the glowing orbs of energy. Oshawott pulled himself closer to Togekiss's head, firing quick shots of water from his mouth. Between their combined efforts, the pair managed to fly through the barrage of Focus Blasts and X-Scissors, some exploding before reaching them when they were intercepted by Water Gun, some after passing the pair when they collided with each other.

Iris and Cilan stared mutely, unable to believe the sight.

Dawn stepped forward, a confident grin locked on her face. "Now's our chance. Togekiss, Aura Sphere on Excadrill!" Togekiss opened her mouth, forming a bright blue sphere. With a short snap, she fired it at the dumbfounded Subterrene Pokemon. Ash smiled. "Oshawott, boost it with Water Gun!" Oshawott concentrated, and a sustained stream of water blasted from inside his throat, slamming into the back of the Aura Sphere, accelerating it forward.

Iris blinked in shock, barely managing to recover. "Excadrill, Dig, Now! Get out of there!"

The Subterrene Pokemon didn't have a chance to react, and the powerful fighting type attack smashed into his head, driving him into the ground he called home. The sphere detonated, throwing up a cloud of smoke and dirt, pierced by the sustained Water Gun.

The cloud dissipated, revealing a utterly dazed Excadrill. Max held out his hand. "Excadrill is unable to battle. Iris is out of the match!"

Iris bowed her head as Togekiss and Oshawott swooped back into the sky. "Excadrill, you did great. Return." Holding out her Pokeball, she smiled and shook her head as the thin red beam collected her battered Pokemon. "Wow. Looks like all the stories that Ash told us were true. You are a pretty tough Trainer, Dawn."

Dawn smiled and bowed her head. "Thanks, Iris. You and Excadrill are really tough too. You should be proud of him."

Cilan smiled. "I must admit, the flavour of this match is utterly invigorating. I have never seen a combination like it. The mixture of sweet and spicy, with a hint of bracing sourness, is like a fascinatingly exotic recipe." His smile shifted into a grin. "But I still believe that it will end in a bitter aftertaste for both of you. You still have to defeat Crustle, which is no easy feat."

Dawn simply smiled back at him. "I've got no problem with that. Show us what you've got." Ash shook his head. "He's not going to do anything. With Crustle, Cilan's going to wait for us to come to him." Dawn grinned at him as her hand slipped inside his. "Then let's not disappointed him. Togekiss, Air Slash!" "Oshawott, Water Gun!"

Togekiss wheeled in the sky, then beat her wings and drifted towards Crustle. Oshwott leaned forward, sending another stream of water at Crustle. Togekiss herself fired a short flurry of air blades from her wide spread wings, which spiraled around the Water Gun.

Cilan held out his hand. "Crustle, Protect." The Stone Home Pokemon retreated inside the construct for which he was named, and a shield of green energy surrounded the mobile fortress. Both Water Gun and Air Slash collided harmlessly against the gleaming shield, and Crustle simply gazed outwards, slightly amused at having frustrated his opponents.

Cilan smiled as he fixed his bowtie. "And now, it's Evaluating Time!"

Iris rolled her eyes as she sat down next to Professor Juniper. "And here we go again. At least I got out before he started."

Cilan smiled broadly. "Your combinations and teamwork have been excellent, like an wonderful blend of unique ingredients that compliment each other perfectly. But, such a recipe is delicate, and easily upset. A single strong flavour, such as the one provided by the powerful and solid Crustle, can easily unbalance and ruin the dish. Like so," He snapped his fingers. "Crustle, use Rock Wrecker!"

The green shield of energy surrounding Crustle's shell dissipated, and the crab-like Pokemon emerged slightly from his chamber. Placing his thick black claws together, he growled as a large stone formed between the sharp tips. The stone expanded, growing in mass and weight, until it was easily the size of Crustle's shell. With a grunt, Crustle heaved the stone overhead, and hurled forward with all his might.

Togekiss drove her wings down, pumping desperately to climb skyward. Oshawott twisted around and fired a Water Gun at the ground, providing additional thrust to the Jubilee Pokemon's flight. The exceedingly large stone broke through the stream of water, missing Togekiss's tail by mere inches.

Ash gazed at the confident Stone Home Pokemon and equally confident Cilan, and a thought suddenly occurred to him. He squeezed Dawn's hand and whispered something in her ear. Dawn's eyes sparkled, and an almost fiendish grin appeared on her face. "You're right, lets show him just what a 'perfect recipe' can taste like. Togekiss, charge up a Sky Attack!" Ash chuckled. "Oshawott, it's time to wrap this up. Hang on and use Razor Shell."

Togekiss flew up in a short loop, shimmering white light surrounding her body. Oshawott pulled his scalchop from his chest, iridescent blue energy projecting out into a sword shape. Togekiss dove down and skimmed the ground, accelerating towards the motionless Crustle. Oshawott pointed his sword straight towards the Stone Home Pokemon, forming an arrow shape with his sword and Togekiss's body.

Cilan smiled. "An interesting pair of attacks, but you leave yourselves vulnerable. Crustle, use Shell Smash, then Rock Wrecker!" Pulling his legs inside his shell, Crustle shot out of the protective stone. White light flashed around his body, then cracked and shattered, tiny shards and pieces floating around Crustle's glowing body. The pieces suddenly began swarming around Crustle's claws, and as a large boulder formed between them, the shards of light merged with it, causing the boulder to glow and grow larger.

Dawn gazed uncertainly at the powerful Pokemon. "Are you sure about this?" Ash grinned. "Absolutely."

Iris and Professor Juniper watched the battle intently. "If Crustle's Rock Wrecker hits, the match will be over." Iris commented. Professor Juniper nodded. "Togekiss would go down for sure, and Oshawott would need incredible reflexes to avoid taking a hit as well."

Ash watched closely as Togekiss and Oshawott drew closer to their target, and Crustle's Rock Wrecker grew larger and stronger. Finally, he smiled. "Oshawott, use Aqua Jet!" Dawn pumped her fist as she realized the full extent of Ash's plan. "Togekiss, use Aura Sphere!"

Cilan's eyes widened. "Crustle, now!"

Oshawott concentrated, and a sphere of water bloomed around him. The sphere expanded, until it surrounded both him and Togekiss. The white light of Togekiss's Sky Attack shimmered and flickered, then merged with the water, causing the sphere to glow brightly with an iridescent colour. A small glowing sphere of energy formed in front of Togekiss's mouth, then dissipated and merged with the energized water, forming a brightly glowing shell around the pair. Both Pokemon rocketed forward as the combined attacks formed a massive speed boost, leaving a trail of energized water behind them.

Crustle barely had time for his eyes to widen, let alone time to launch his boulder. The Jubilee and Sea Otter Pokemon smashed into his vulnerable body, Razor Shell first, with such speed and power that the Rock Wrecker was knocked from his claws. Carried backwards by the powerful combination, he didn't have time to shout before all three Pokemon crashed into Crustle's shell.

Twisting her body, Togekiss pumped her wings downward and shot into the air, spiraling as glittering water droplets showered from her body. Oshawott clung to her back, his Razor Shell still shining by his side, looking every bit the confident warrior.

Crustle remained plastered against his shell for a moment, then collapsed on the ground.

Max held out his hand. "Crustle is unable to battle, Togekiss and Oshawott are the victors, which means Ash and Dawn win the match!"

Dawn spun, wrapped her arms around Ash's neck and fiercely kissed him. "Awesome! We won!"

Ash's mind ran blank for a moment, then his arms crushed her against his body. "What, you thought that we wouldn't?" he joked, and she thumped his chest.

Cilan smiled as he knelt beside Crustle, who had retreated inside his shell. "A well fought battle, Crustle. You were excellent." He patted the Stone Home Pokemon's shell, and frowned as his finger found the notch that Oshawott's Razor Shell had made. "Hmm. Oshawott is certainly getting stronger. It takes quite a lot of strength to leave a mark like this."

Ash glanced over at the pair, then smiled as Togekiss and Oshawott landed beside them. Releasing Dawn, he walked over. "Sorry about that. Oshawott can really get into battles sometimes."

Cilan smiled and nodded as Crustle once again made an appearence, intently inspecting his home. "As I well know. The damage appears to be superficial, nothing that Crustle can't fix."

Dawn smiled as she watched Crustle spray a fluid on the crack, then frowned and turned towards the campsite. "Hey, where're Piplup and Pikachu?"

Iris, Max, Cilan, Professor Juniper, Greg, and Charlie glanced around. "Weird. Looks like Quilava, Buneary and Snivy are gone as well." Iris commented, visibly puzzled. She glanced at Dawn. "Do your Pokemon often leave like that?"

Dawn shook her head. "No. The last time Piplup took off like that was when Ash and I parted ways in Sinnoh, and that was just because he was really upset."

"Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiipluuuu uuuuuuuuuuup!" (Daaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwn)

Ash perked up. "That was Piplup!"

The group looked around, and Max suddenly stood up. "There they are!"

Piplup, Quilava, and Snivy ran out of the trees. Piplup looked quite proud of himself, though that wasn't unusual for him. Quilava kept looking back behind him, appearing concerned about something. Snivy just looked irritated with them.

Ash and Dawn rushed over to the trio. "Piplup, Quilava, what is it?" Dawn asked them, slightly confused. Ash knelt in front of Snivy. "Snivy, where's Pikachu and Buneary?"

Piplup grabbed Dawn's hand and tugged it. "Pip piplup lup." (You gotta see this.) Quilava ran around behind her and thumped her leg with his head. "Quilava lava" (Come on.) Snivy just sighed. "Sniv snivy." (They found an egg.)

Ash and Dawn glanced at each other. "Uh, okay. I guess they want to show us something." Dawn smiled uncertainly. Ash shrugged as the rest of the group followed them.

Several minutes walking found Pikachu and Buneary sitting in front of a tree. Buneary jumped up as the group of Trainers and Pokemon stepped out of the trees, and excitedly rushed over to Dawn, revealing a small hollow beneath the roots of the tree. "Bun buneary eary!" (See what we found!)

Ash crouched in front of Pikachu, who gave his human partner an exasperated look. "Pikachu, what's this about an egg?"

Turning, the Mouse Pokemon crawled into the hollow he had been forced to guard, and rolled a bright green egg from inside. On its end, the egg was easily two thirds of his height. "Pika chu pichu pikachu." (Quilava smelled this, and Buneary and I found it while we were looking.)

Dawn knelt beside Ash, and gingerly picked up the egg. "Whoa. I wonder what it is?" Ash gave her an odd look. "You've seen one of these before. OW!" He sat back as he rubbed his leg from where Dawn had kicked him. "I know it's an egg, dummy. But what laid it? What'll it hatch into?"

Professor Juniper leaned over. "Hmm. It's hard to tell."

Max stepped in front of the group, pushing his glasses up as he looked at the egg. "Sometimes you can tell what an egg will hatch into by the markings it has, but I can't tell." Kirlia skipped up next to him. "Kir." (Wow.)

The younger boy looked at his partner. "Can you sense anything Kirlia?" The Emotion Pokemon gazed at the egg, then shook her head. "Kir kirlia lialia." (No, it's too faint.)

Cilan looked around. "I wonder where the nest is. The parents will probably be looking for the egg."

Quilava shook his head. "Quilavava quila valava qui." (We looked, there isn't one.)

Dawn gave the Pokemon a confused look. "You just found it here?" Piplup nodded.

Ash ran his fingertips across the smooth surface of the shell. "Hmm. Well, we can't just leave it here. If there isn't a nest nearby, then we're going to have to take it with us."

Iris gave him a cautious look. "But Ash, what if the parents come looking for it, like Cilan said? They'll be mad that we took their egg."

Dawn smiled slightly as she studied the egg. "If the parents are looking for the egg, then they'll find us eventually. If they do, then we'll give it back to them. Until then, we keep it, make sure it stays safe."

Ash nodded. "It's settled then, we're keeping it until either it hatches or the parents find us." A frown crossed his face. "Whoever they are."

The group stood up. "Well, we should go back to the cars, get everything packed up. Undella Town isn't getting any closer just sitting here." Cilan smiled.

_Okay, let me say a few words. First off, thank you to everyone who sent in teams for the World Tournament. I really appreciate, and was a little overwhelmed. I'm afraid that I won't be able to use everyone, I just don't have the time to set up something that large, but to those who don't make it in, thank you nonetheless. _

_ Second, I leave it to all of you to guess what will hatch from the egg. I figured it would be an interesting dynamic to add. _

_ Third, I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make another chapter for some time. With the beginning of the school year where I live, I just won't have the time. Please have patience, I will work on it when I can, but don't expect anything any time soon._


	11. Chapter 11

_ In the Pokemon world, battles are the supreme form of communication. Through battle, trainers are able to communicate new ways of training, of raising Pokemon, and of living life. Additionally, battles allow trainer and Pokemon to reaffirm the agreement and connection made between them. Battles between strangers are an introduction. Battles between friends, rivals, and lovers are an elaborate dance, ways to explore each other and learn about each other. They say that the eyes are the windows of the soul. If that is the case, what would battles be..._

Ash groaned and stretched, or rather tried to. He smiled as he glanced at the two bodies resting against him. One was his partner, Pikachu. Having traveled together for over seven years, Ash had long become accustomed to his small friend sleeping against him.

He was still getting used to having the second body, that of his recent girlfriend, Dawn. He chuckled quietly as she shifted against him, her own partner Piplup nestled in her lap. Trying to move as carefully as possible, he pulled his arm from between them and slid it around her shoulders. She responded by snuggling closer to him, causing a rapidly familiar warmth to spread throughout his body.

It had been a few days since he had discovered that she loved him, and simultaneously discovered that it was an emotion he shared. In that time, they had only drawn closer, which absolutely delighted him. In their recent tag battle against his friends Cilan and Iris, they had synced nearly perfectly. He chuckled at the memory.

He glanced down again, smiling at the bright green egg nestled against her chest. They had found it earlier that day, and something in his mind made Ash doubt that the original parents would ever find them. He smiled fondly as he remembered the conversation.

_"So who gets to take care of the egg?" Max asked. _

_ Dawn tilted her head as she cradled the egg in question in her arms. "Well, so far as I know, Ash has had the most experience with eggs out of all of us." She looked at her boyfriend questioningly. _

_ Ash shook his head and chuckled. "Normally I'd love to, but I've got my hands full with Scraggy. His training is going very well, and he's come a long way since he hatched, but he's still only a couple months old. Besides, I've taken care of four eggs over my journey, somebody else can have a turn."_

_ Iris looked at him curiously. "You've raised four Pokemon eggs?"_

_ Ash nodded. "Yeah, but only two are properly mine. The first one I raised to hatching was a Togepi, but it imprinted on a friend of mine. The second was a Larvitar that had been stolen from his mother before he had hatched. We were able to get him back to his mom, and as far as I know he still lives with her in a Pokemon Ranger Preserve." He smiled. "The third is my Donphan. I raised him up from when he hatched as a Phanpy, and he's another one of the stronger members of my Pokemon."_

_ Cilan smiled at him. "Ash, you say that about all your Pokemon."_

_ The teenager shrugged. "That's cuz it's true. All my Pokemon are strong in their own way. All I do is help them get there."_

_ Dawn smiled lovingly at him, then turned to Cilan. "What about you Cilan?"_

_ The Connoisseur smiled and shook his head gracefully. "As much a pleasure as that would be, I must refuse. My journey is to learn as much about trainers and Pokemon as I can, so that I can better evaluate the connection between them. Raising an egg is a full time job."_

_ Iris shook her head as well when Ash turned to her, the same question rising to his lips. "Sorry. I'd love to, but raising Axew is like you and Scraggy, Ash."_

_ Max glared at the group, and Kirlia looked at him curiously. "Hey, what about me?"_

_ Ash smiled and gently patted the boy's shoulders. "Max, I think you're a great trainer, but raising an egg to hatching is big. There's no way to tell how long it'll take for it to hatch. It might not hatch until long after you go back to Hoenn, and you've only just started your journey."_

_ The younger boy pouted slightly. "That's not fair, I helped May with Glaceon and Manaphy, I helped you with Donphan, and I even was responsible for Jirachi breaking out of his cocoon."_

_ Ash sighed, then smiled at the questioning looks from his friends. "Long story, tell ya later." He turned back to Max. "Helping with an egg is not the same thing as caring for it yourself, Max, and Jirachi was already an adult when he woke up. Taking care of a baby Pokemon is a lot of work, believe me, I know."_

_ Dawn managed to balance the egg in one arm, and patted the boy's shoulder with her free hand. "Max, when you care for a Pokemon from hatching, you aren't their partner or friend. You are its parent. Baby Pokemon are fragile, it's a lot harder than taking care of a Pokemon that's more grown up. Plus, raising a baby Pokemon isn't something that should be done alone, especially when it's your first."_

_ Kirlia elegantly stepped in front of her partner. "Kirlia lia kir. Kir kirliakir." (They're right Max. Listen to them.)_

_ Max looked at the Emotion Pokemon, then sighed. "Okay. I get it. Somebody else can raise the egg." A fierce look appeared in his eyes. "But I'm gonna raise an egg some day!"_

_ Cilan chuckled. "I'm sure you will, Max. And I'm sure that you'll do an excellent job. After all," he turned to Ash, "You've had excellent examples to mimic."_

_ Ash grinned. "Don't worry about it Max. Eventually, you'll get an egg, and you'll have a blast." His face took on a slightly more serious look. "It's about as close as we'll get to finding out how our parents felt about raising us."_

_ Iris smiled at her friend. "Well, then it's settled. Dawn gets to raise the egg."_

_ The Coordinator looked at her in confusion. "Huh? Excuse me?"_

_ Cilan smiled at her. "Iris is right, Dawn. You are the only one left."_

_ Ash wrapped her in a hug, careful not to place too much pressure on the egg between them. "You'll do great, Dawn. Besides, you've already raised Quilava, and he's turned out incredible. He's almost a year old, and he's evolved." A grin crossed his face. "No need to worry, right?"_

_ Dawn smiled at her catch phrase, then sighed. "Okay then. I get to be a mom again." She looked down at the egg nestled between them. The hard shell was smooth and warm to her touch. A sudden thought occurred to her, and she giggled. _

_ Ash gave her a confused look. "What?"_

_ Dawn looked at him with a smile in her eyes and on her lips. "If I'm this egg's mom, and you're my boyfriend, then that makes you a dad."_

_ Ash looked at her blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing. _

A smile was still on Ash's face as he held Dawn close. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer to him, her arms wrapped protectively around the egg. Since accepting responsibility for the egg, it hadn't left her embrace. He chuckled slightly as she shifted in her sleep.

He glanced out the window, and promptly stared in surprise. "Whoa." Carefully, she shook Dawn's shoulder. "Dawn, wake up. You gotta see this."

Groaning, she blinked sleepily, then smiled up at him. "Hey."

Smiling, he pulled her up into a sitting position. "Check it out."

Dawn gave him a confused look, then looked out the window. She gasped.

The jeep was driving along a narrow cliff road, with only a guard rail separating them from a long drop to the ground below. The sky was a bright clear blue, with barely a cloud to be seen. Set amid the trackless blue plains was a blazing yellow orb, casting the bright rays as far as the eye could see. Far below, like a darkened mirror, sat the ocean, its deep blue depths promising hidden treasures and beauties known only by its inhabitants. Tiny points of light reflected off the surface, turning the smooth waters into a field of glittering diamonds. Stretching along the water's edge was a vast golden beach, dotted here and there with multicoloured umbrellas, like small scattered flowers. Set farther back from the ocean side was a large collection of colourful buildings, marking the presence of the town.

Dawn stared in awe. "Woooooow. It's, it's, wow."

Professor Juniper glanced at them in the rearview mirror and smiled. "Welcome to Undella Town."

Ash chuckled at the star struck expression on Dawn's face. "I think I know where we're going." He looked out the window towards the town, and frowned. "What's that building there?"

Professor Juniper made a quick glance. "That would be our destination. Undella Stadium. It's newly built for the tournament."

Dawn glanced at Ash's face and saw a familiar expression. His eyes were both bright and hard, lit with an eager fire that threatened to burn everything in its path. She knew that he was thinking about the battles ahead, and from the way that his body had tensed that he would meet them unflinchingly. In his lap, Pikachu's ears twitched, as if responding to his thoughts. She turned and gazed towards the stadium, her heart speeding up into a tempo that she hadn't felt since the Grand Festival.

Ash glanced at Dawn, and noted with surprise and satisfaction her expression. Her mouth was curved in a firm and eager smile, and he could tell that her thoughts were focused onto the future, and her place in it. Her arms clutched the egg closer to her chest, and her eyes were wide and bright with anticipation, burning with a desire that he was very familiar with. His pulse quickened, and he grinned as he hugged her against him.

It was almost a half hour later when they arrived at the stadium. Most of the group piled out of the jeeps, moving through the large double doors as Greg and Charlie parked the cars.

Iris stared in awe. The stadium lobby was massive, easily larger than anything else she had been in. Large windows allowed the bright sunlight to flow through the room, causing the cream and yellow wallpaper to almost glow. Clusters of furniture were arranged around tables, and already various trainers were seated. Arrayed across one of the walls were a set of video-phones and transfer computers. Set at the back of the room was the reception desk, manned by several people.

Ash and Dawn grinned at Iris's open mouth. "You think this is big? This is just one building. Pokemon League Conferences have entire pavilions."

The dragon trainer's eyes nearly bugged out of her head, and Axew took over staring duties.

Ash smiled as he made his way to the reception desk. "Hi, I'd like to make an entry into the tournament."

Dawn stepped up beside him, managing to link her arm in his and still hold the egg. "I would too."

The receptionist looked up and smiled. "Certainly. I just need to see your licenses, and we'll get you all set up."

Both trainers nodded and pulled out their respective Pokedex's, smiling as the receptionist took them. Iris and Cilan also offered their own identifications.

"Croooooooooooo."

Ash frowned at the noise. He glanced around, then noticed the puzzled expression on Cilan's face. "Uh, did you guys hear that?"

"Croooooooooo." Cilan wordlessly glanced down at the floor, off to Ash and Dawn's right.

Dawn moved her gaze to where he was looking, and her eyes brightened in surprise. Squatting in front of the shiny reflective surface of the reception counter was a dark blue Pokemon. Yellow eyes ringed in black were fixed on the reflection in the metal. A black band, followed by a pair of white ones, encircled the Pokemon's stomach. Slim blue arms, each with a black band encircling the upper arm, ended in three fingered hands, two black and one orange. Short, muscular blue legs ended in black feet, and a pair of orange sacks expanded and contracted on the Pokemon's cheeks. Each time they expanded, the Pokemon produced a low croaking noise.

"Croooooooo."

Ash frowned and squatted beside the Pokemon. "A Croagunk?"

Iris leaned over him. "A what?"

Dawn smiled. "That's a Croagunk, a Pokemon native to Sinnoh. I wonder who his trainer is?"

Cilan stroked his chin. "I don't know, but it seems to be awfully fascinated by its reflection."

"Crooooooo."

"Croagunk! Hey, where are you?" A deep voice called out, the slightly gravelly tone easily reaching across the room.

"Chanseeeeeeey!"

Ash, Dawn, and Max froze, then looked at each other.

"You don't think…"

"No. Why would he…."

"Weeeeellllll…."

All three trainers stood up and looked around the room. Their two companions looked at them with curious expressions. "Who are you guys looking for?" Iris asked.

Ash gave the room one more once over, then smiled. "No way."

A tall trainer walked through a doorway beside the reception desk. The green cargo pants and orange sweatshirt masked a sturdy physique, and the somewhat lanky gait spoke to long experience with hiking and climbing. Dark brown spiky hair sat above eyes that were held in a perpetual squint. The trainer shaded his eyes with his hand, a slightly irked expression on his face as he scanned the room. Following behind him was a large pink egg-shaped Pokemon, standing a little over three feet in height. Several hair-like growths spread down from the top of its head, and a dark pink pouch adorned its broad stomach. Sitting in the pouch was a cream coloured egg. Short arms were held across the Pokemon's chest, and a worried expression adorned its face.

When the mysterious trainer caught sight of the group, however, a broad smile spread across his face. "Ash? Dawn? Max?"

Ash's grin widened, and all four trainers rushed together. "Brock! Man, is it good to see you!"

The 22 year old laughed. "No kidding! I haven't seen you since, what was it, crossroads between Pallet Town and Pewter City?"

The younger trainer nodded. "Sounds about right. How've you been? How's the doctor program coming?"

Brock grinned. "Ash, it is great. I finally feel like I've got a purpose, instead of just following you around all the time. Not that journeying with you was boring."

Ash laughed. "No, boring is one thing it wasn't."

Brock clapped the younger man on the shoulder good naturedly, then turned to the pretty coordinator standing beside him, her blue eyes shining in happiness. "Don't think I forgot about you, Dawn. How've you been? Looks like you picked up a new addition to your team."

Dawn giggled. "Eventually, but not just yet." She glanced down at the egg in her arms, then back up at the older man. "And as for how things have been going, just incredible." She gave Ash a sly glance, and he winked back at her.

Brock's brow furrowed, and his gaze flickered between them. "No. You can't be serious."

Ash grinned as he slipped his arm around Dawn's shoulders and pulled her against him, her head tilting to rest on his shoulder. "You better believe it."

A burst of laughter erupted from the older trainer, and he suddenly crushed them both in a hug. "Well it's about time! Geez, I was wondering if maybe all that time in Sinnoh had been for nothing!"

Dawn smiled, then started squirming. "Uh, Brock, not enough room for four here."

Brock immediately released them, his eyes flicking down to the egg in her arms for a moment. "Sorry." His smile quickly returned, though his eyes were still held in their permanent squint. "But you have no idea how happy this makes me. Your moms are going to be so happy to hear this!"

A tapping sound reached their ears, and the group of three turned their attention to a smiling Max, his arms folded across his chest as Kirlia beamed from beside him. "Ya know, I get that you guys haven't seen each other in a while, but there are others here." Behind him, Cilan and Iris smiled at the group.

Brock grinned. "Well Ash? Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friends?"

Cilan smiled and stepped forward. "On the contrary, it would be a pleasure to introduce ourselves. My name is Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur, and one of the three Gym Leader of the Striaton Gym."

Iris followed suit. "And I'm Iris, a dragon trainer. This is my partner, Axew." The small green dragon peered at the older trainer.

Brock smiled and shook their hands. "It's very nice to meet you both. My name's Brock, former Gym Leader of Pewter City, Pokemon Breeder, and Pokemon Doctor in training. This is Chansey, my current partner."

The Egg Pokemon smiled brightly. "Chansey." (Nice to meet you.)

Ash gave Brock a puzzled look. "Brock, what are you doing in Unova? Isn't your program in Pewter City?"

Brock nodded. "It is, but I'm here for much the same reason as you, I suspect. The World Tournament is pulling Doctors and Nurses from all five regions. Thanks to my knowledge as a Pokemon Breeder, I'm doing a lot better than my instructor expected, so I was chosen to be a part of the Kanto segment of the team. And I'm guessing you guys are here to compete." He grinned expectantly.

Ash chuckled. "You know me. Once I heard about this," he gestured to the large reception area, "I had to get in on it."

Brock nodded. "Now, I believe that I've missed a few members of your party." He grinned down at Max. "You finally got your trainers license? That's great Max."

The younger boy nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Yep. And I've already got one badge."

Brock's smiled widened, and he nodded approvingly. "You always had the potential. Now you get to show your stuff. And who is this?" He crouched down in front of Kirlia.

The Emotion Pokemon twirled once, then bowed. "Kirlia lia kirkir kirlia." (You know me in my younger form, Brock.)

Brock chuckled. "This is the sick little Ralts that you once rescued? You've both come a long way since then. I bet your parents and May are really proud of you both."

Max grinned. "May doesn't know that Kirlia evolved yet, or the new member of my team."

Brock's grin turned slightly dark. "I wouldn't count on that for long." He rose to his feet and turned his attention from the now slightly puzzled Max to Ash and Dawn. "Now for the last two members. Where are Pikachu and Piplup? They haven't ran off and evolved as well, have they?"

Both trainers smiled. "No, they haven't evolved." Ash chuckled. Dawn frowned and looked around. "But it is a good question as to where they are."

"Piiiiiikaaaapiiiiiii!" (Aaaaaaaaaash!)

"Piiiiiiipluuuuuuuup!" (Daaaaaaaawn!)

The whole group turned their attention back to the reception counter, where the two Pokemon in question were sitting next to the Croagunk.

Brock sighed. "There he is. Croagunk! Why did you…..oh. I see." He chuckled at the Toxic Mouth Pokemon. "Still fascinated with your own reflection I see."

His gaze suddenly slid sideways. "Excuse me for a moment! Emergency!" And with that, he shot towards a red headed stranger in dark, almost punk clothing. The slightly ripped and frayed clothing she wore, combined with the skull necklace and chain hanging from her belt, definitely gave her a rocker image.

Max sighed. "He's still at it, isn't he. I'll get him." He took a step forward, then stopped in surprise when Ash's hand landed on his shoulder. "Hold up, Max. You don't need to do that anymore. Just wait." Dawn giggled at the confused look on the boy's face.

Brock skidded to a stop beside the girl. "Excuse me miss, I was wondering if you were aware of just exactly how stunningly beautiful you were." he said with a somewhat dreamy smile.

The girl turned and looked at him, her expression giving clear indication that she thought he was crazy. "I don't know who you are, buddy, but you are creepin' me out, so why don't you try your luck with some other girl." she responded dismissively.

Undeterred, Brock forged on. "My apologies, but such an angelic visage such as yours never fails to overwhelm me. Please, allow me to make it up to you with a full romantic din

"CroooaaaaGUNK!"

Broke immediately froze, his face twitching slightly. The girl gave him a strange look, and her gaze travelled down to the Croagunk standing just behind him, its right hand glowing purple and pressed firmly against Brock's side. Finally, his knees buckled, and Brock fell onto his back.

"Ugggggh, you never fail either." he groaned. Croagunk grasped the back of the neckline of his trainer's shirt, then turned and proceeded to drag the aspiring Doctor across the room and back down the hallway from whence he came, followed by the slightly amused Chansey. A sound that seemed vaguely like a throaty chuckle followed them, along with the confused stares of many trainers.

Max stared in surprise. "Poison Jab?"

Ash chuckled at the concerned faces of Cilan and Iris, and Dawn simply smiled. "Poison Jab. Every time." He turned and approached the red head. "Sorry about that. My friend there has a habit of instantly falling in love with every girl he meets, and he usually goes over the top with it. Thankfully, his Croagunk is always there to rein him in." He held out his hand. "My name's Ash. What's yours?"

The girl regarded him for a moment, then apparently decided he wasn't messing with her and shook his hand. "Daisy. Your friend's a real piece of work. Anybody ever told him that he's kinda creepy when he does that?"

Ash grinned. "A few. He makes up for it with his Pokemon knowledge. He's actually part of the medical team that was assembled for the Tournament."

Daisy's eyes widened. "You're not kidding me, are you. Well, I guess that does makes up for it."

A boy lounging in a nearby chair chuckled. "Oh, come on, Daisy. Admit it, you liked the attention." He stood up, straightening his blue framed glasses and smoothing his purple shirt. "Name's Simon." His violet eyes seemed to sparkle slightly with mirth. "And don't mind Punk Girl here. She may act rude, but she's as passionate as her fire types."

Daisy scowled slightly, her heavy makeup giving her a dark look, then she rolled her eyes and smiled. "It was just weird that's all. Anyway, you gonna introduce us to the rest of your friends?"

Ash grinned. This was the other reason why he loved traveling. "Sure. Come on over."

Rapid introductions were made, with both Daisy and Simon very curious about Cilan's profession as a Pokemon Connoisseur. Within minutes, Brock had joined them, and though Daisy would occasionally give him an odd look, neither trainer commented on their first meeting.

Hours passed, and finally Dawn yawned. "Man, it's been a long day."

Cilan nodded. "We should probably see about getting our rooms."

Brock grinned. "You guys are competitors, which means you get your own rooms as part of your entry, so that's taken care of. Hang on, I'll get your room numbers." He turned and strode to the reception counter, where the receptionist was busy with another pair of trainers entering.

Professor Juniper smiled and waved to the group. "I actually have some things that I need to prepare for tomorrow, so I will see all of you later."

As she opened the door of the stadium reception, a trainer entering bumped her shoulder. "Oh, pardon me."

Dawn looked at the trainer, and a slight shiver ran down her back.

He, for Dawn was quite certain that the trainer was male, stood only a little taller than herself, possibly just a little taller than Ash. His body was encased by a black full-length long coat, completely obscuring his body, though for some reason only his right arm appeared to be in its sleeve. Black armoured combat boots, almost like ski boots encased his feet, making a soft thumping sound with each step that he took. Black hair covered his head, which was encased in a black visor and headset, completely obscuring his eyes.

He stepped to the side and bowed his head. "Sorry. Wasn't paying much attention." Turning, he smoothly moved past the Professor and disappeared down the hallway. The back of his coat had a slight hump to it, like he had a backpack or something similar underneath.

Ash turned and gazed after the trainer in concern. "That guy…..something seems a little off about him."

Dawn nodded. "He reminds me too much of J."

Iris, Daisy and Simon looked at her. "Who's J?"

Ash's brow creased a little, his mouth set in a grimace. "J was a Pokemon Hunter, a mercenary who was paid to capture rare Pokemon. She was known for using a gun that turned whomever she shot into a stone statue." His eyes closed at the memory, and he felt Dawn shudder against him as she relived her own memories.

Iris looked at the two, her hands clasped anxiously. "That's terrible! Why would anyone do that?" Simon nodded in agreement.

Daisy snorted. "Money, probably. Isn't it always what that sort of stuff is about?" she commented sarcastically.

Cilan glanced down the hallway where the mysterious trainer had disappeared. "Hmm. I wonder who he is."

Brock returned to the group, a set of key cards in one hand, Pokedex's and ID's in the other. "What is it?"

Ash shook his head, dispelling the memories. "Nothing."

Dawn looked at her older friend. "We just saw a trainer who reminded us of J."

Brock's expression darkened slightly. "Oh. Let me guess, visor, black long coat, heavy boots?"

The group nodded, and Brock sighed. "That's Shadow."

Max frowned. "Shadow? What kinda name is that?"

The older doctor in training shrugged. "I don't think that's his real name, but it's what he's registered under. He's been here for about two weeks, ever since before registrations started, and was one of the first trainers to sign up. I haven't seen him much, but apparently he asked a lot of questions the first week of registration. Now, most of the time he keeps to himself. I get the feeling he's a really powerful trainer though."

Ash looked down the hallway again, then shook his head. "He's probably harmless. I'll beat him no problem."

Daisy grinned at him. "Not if I beat you first."

Dawn smiled, then turned to Brock. "Those the keys to our rooms?"

Brock nodded, handing each member a key card. "The rooms are single occupant only, I'm afraid, but you can stay with me if you want, Max."

Ash looked at his card, then grinned at the group. "I don't know about you guys, but I want to check out these rooms." He turned to Daisy and Simon. "Wanna join us?"

Both trainers shook their heads as they held up their respective cards. "Sorry, but we've already been taken care of." Daisy commented. Simon grinned. "'Sides, we've got some stuff we gotta do before tomorrow, so we'll see you at the opening ceremonies. Later!" They waved as they headed out the door.

Brock smiled. "Come on, I'll show you guys where your rooms are. I've been here a few days, so I know this place pretty well."

Ash, Dawn, Max, Iris and Cilan followed the 22 year old down the hallway. The walls were evenly spaced with brown wooden doors. Finally, Brock stopped in front of a pair of doors, numbered 34 and 35.

"Here you are, Ash, Dawn. Looks like these are yours. Cilan, Iris, you're a little further down." He smiled. "As much as I would like to hang out with you guys and catch up, I've gotta head to the Med Room. We're getting things ready for tomorrow." He pulled a Pokeball from his belt. "Chansey, thanks for your help. You should rest up for tomorrow."

The Egg Pokemon smiled and bowed her domed head. "Chansey." (You're welcome.) A thin red beam sprang from the Pokeball, striking the large pink Pokemon, dissolving it into red energy as it retracted into the device. Brock smiled as he placed the shrunk Pokeball at his waist, where Ash noted that he had three other Pokeballs. "See ya later guys. And good luck tomorrow!" He waved to the group as he departed down the hallway.

Ash and Dawn smiled after their friend. "Man, it's good to see him again." Ash commented. Dawn nodded in agreement.

Cilan smiled. "It certainly was nice to meet a new friend. I look forward to sampling his cooking though."

Iris smiled as she pulled a berry from a pocket, feeding it to Axew. "He seems really nice."

Ash groaned a little. "Ugh, I'm gonna die if both of you cook together." Dawn giggled, then shifted the egg in her arms as she slid her card into the door slot.

The room was rather spacious, containing as much amenities as one could expect. The carpet was a deep blue colour, and was so thick that Dawn's feet sank a little. The twin-sized bed was covered in clean white sheets, with a multicoloured comforter. A single bay window opened to a small balcony, over looking the cliffs to the north of the resort town. Deep orange light from the sunset bathed the room.

Piplup looked around the room from his perch on Dawn's backpack. "Piplup." (Nice place.) Dawn nodded. After spending over a month camping out in the wilderness, it was going to feel amazing to sleep in a real bed.

A knock on the open door behind her drew her attention, revealing Ash standing in the doorway. He smiled and glanced around the room. "Same place as me. And we're right next door to each other." He walked past her, out onto the balcony. "Not bad view either."

Piplup jumped onto the bed as Dawn took her backpack off. Jumping to the floor, he followed her onto the balcony, climbing up next to where Pikachu was sitting on the railing. For a moment, none of the four said a word, just admiring the view, and the silence of being in good company as the sun descended towards the horizon.

Slowly, Dawn's hand crept into Ash's, who gently squeezed hers in response. She smiled, then glanced down at the egg cradled in her arm. "So, what do you think will hatch from this?"

Ash blinked, then turned his head towards hers. "Dunno. The shell doesn't seem to give any indication, not like when you got Quilava's egg. That one was pretty obvious to me."

Dawn smiled, then laid her head on his shoulder. His grip on her hand was firm and reassuring. "Well, whatever it hatches into, it'll be worth the wait. Waiting for eggs to hatch is always exciting."

He nodded, and returned his gaze to the horizon. The empty sky slowly shifted through shades of orange, down to a deep, ruby red as the last sliver of the sun vanished for the night. Both lover's heads turned towards each other, and softly their lips met.

Pikachu and Piplup studied the pair curiously. "Pip piplup luplup?" (Why do they keep doing that?)

Pikachu tilted his head, his expressive ears pointed down in a confused expression. "Pik pika chupi pichu." (I don't get it either.)

Ash and Dawn broke their contact at the exchange, blushing slightly. "Uh, well..." Ash stuttered, and while Dawn busied herself examining the egg.

Pikachu crept closer, his black eyes fastened squarely on Ash. "Pika, Pikapi?" (Yeah Ash?)

Ash rubbed the back of his head, glancing up at the sky as he searched for an explanation. "You see..."

Piplup sat down on the railing, cocking his head at the pair. "Pippip luppip pip lup piplup." (Kenny did it, and you didn't like it then.)

Dawn looked at the egg in her arms, and a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Pikachu, have you ever rubbed cheek pouches with another Pokemon?"

The Mouse Pokemon sat back, startled. "Pika pikapichu pika pika chu!" (Wait, what you guys do is like that!)

Piplup turned to his friend, confused. "Lup pip piplup pip?" (What's that got to do with anything?)

Pikachu gave both trainers a long look. He had known for quite a while that they had feelings for each other, but now... "Pika pichuchu pikapika pi pikachu kachu kapi pikaka pika pikachu pi." (Sharing electricity is only done with close partners, because you open yourself to contact shocks.) He shook his head. "Pi pikachu pi." (Contact shocks hurt more than anything.) He shook his head again, then slowly crawled up Dawn's arm until he was perched on her shoulder, like he preferred to do Ash.

Both trainers looked at the Mouse Pokemon with surprise. Pikachu studied Dawn with great intensity, licked her cheek, then turned his head and rubbed his left electric pouch against the wet spot. Dawn froze as a slight tingling sensation filled the side of her head. Abruptly, Pikachu broke the contact and jumped off her shoulder, running to the bed.

Ash stared in surprise as Piplup jumped down and ran after his friend. "Whoa. Pikachu's only done that with me once." He turned and regarded his partner, who was now curled up on the bed pillow, animatedly conversing with Piplup. "I wonder what that was about."

Dawn looked at Pikachu, an unsure expression on her face. Her cheek still tingled slightly. _Thank you, Pikachu._

_So, here at long last is Chapter 11. Sorry it took so long, and I'm only sort of satisfied with it. Let me know if you see any difference between this chapter and my previous ones. Thanks for reading. Shout outs go to the owners of Simon and Daisy, TheBlueAlienRobotZombie and Inspirablur respectively.  
_


End file.
